MSF reaction to G8 declaration on Africa and innovation

"G8 leaders have been talking out of both sides of their mouths. No progress was made here on access to medicines." "G8 leaders are sending out contradictory messages: on one hand they pledge more money, and on the other, they want to increase intellectual property protection which is known as a key a barrier to access to affordable medicines." Statement - 8 Jun 2007

Access to medicines

G8 declaration on innovation and intellectual property will directly harm access to medicines

Intellectual property protection does not stimulate development of medicines to treat diseases that primarily affect people in developing countries. Press Release - 7 Jun 2007

Myanmar

'Nobody should have to live like this'

Morshed Mahabub was born in the eastern Teknaf region, which borders Myanmar. Since October 2006, he has worked for MSF as a translator. He helps the team provide medical and humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority from Myanmar. Voices from the Field - 4 Jun 2007

Central African Republic

'People are trapped in the middle of the conflict'

Since mid-2006 violence has dramatically increased in scale and intensity in the northern parts of Central African Republic - with grave consequences for the civilians who are caught in the crossfire of a number of armed groups.
More recently, the north-eastern province of Vakaga has also become caught up in violence. MSF was the first international aid group to be active in this very remote region bordering Chad and Sudan (Darfur). An interview with MSF's outgoing Head of Mission, Heinz Henghuber. Project Update - 2 Jun 2007

South Africa

Retaining health workers: the basics

"I make 3,000,000 Méticais ($US 115) a month. With this, I can buy one bag of rice, one bottle of oil, and pay the energy at home. I'm borrowing money from my neighbours because I cannot afford to send my children to school."
- Maria, 44, Paediatric Nurse, Tete Health Center No.2, Mozambique Project Update - 24 May 2007

Malawi

Malawi's Emergency Human Resources Plan: a ray of hope?

"There are so many patients here to see. The number is about 75 to 100 patients per day. Sometimes people wait for hours to be attended to. Yesterday I was alone on duty without even any medical assistant to help me. Sometimes I have to do both day and night shifts in the same day! We need at least five more nurses here."
- Loveness Makeyi, 35, Nurse/Midwife, Khonjeni Clinic, Malawi Project Update - 24 May 2007

Global

Coping with health worker shortages: lessons and limits

"In Lesotho there are only 89 of us doctors in the entire country. The whole process of decentralisation of HIV care - taking it down to the people in the clinics - depends on nurses. Many lives have been saved because ARV treatment is in the clinics and nurses are taking over most of the responsibilities."
- Dr Pheello Lethola, Field Doctor, MSF Lesotho Project Update - 24 May 2007

HIV/AIDS

Help wanted: confronting the healthcare worker crisis to expand access to HIV/AIDS treatment

This report focuses on the impact of human resource shortages witnessed by MSF teams in four southern African countries - Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa. While the focus is largely on nurses in rural areas, it should be acknowledged that health staff is lacking across the spectrum - from doctors to laboratory technicians to pharmacists - at all levels of care. Report - 18 May 2007

Palestine

MSF reacts to charges issued against Palestinian staff member

Mr. Mossaab Bashir, a member of the staff of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the Gaza Strip, was charged by an Israeli court with "contact with a foreign agent" and "conspiracy to commit a crime". Project Update - 17 May 2007

Brazil

AIDS DRUGS: Brazil, Thailand override big pharma patents

Although a handful of countries have issued compulsory licenses for AIDS drugs without kicking up much of a fuss, all involved older, first-generation drugs. Now the second-line treatments are at stake. Economist Love adds that big pharma feels threatened that this movement could go beyond AIDS to heart disease and other ailments. "There's a big push in Thailand to do it for everything," says Love. Project Update - 11 May 2007

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

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We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff - most of them hired locally. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence and impartiality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation.

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