Upgraded reconstructive surgery hospital for victims of war in Amman

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) officially opened its newly upgraded reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman, Jordan. Project Update - 24 Sep 2015

Mediterranean migration

People not numbers: a message from the Bourbon Argos

Simon Burroughs, MSF emergency coordinator onboard the Bourbon Argos, talking about the migrants' needs of water, food, shelter, medical care and protection. "We have to remember they are human beings, they are people just like you and me. They have needs, there has to be a better way that the way it is working now." Project Update - 23 Sep 2015

France

MSF helping 3,500 people stuck in Calais 'Jungle'

Approximately 3,500 exiles are living in a former garbage dump on the outskirts of Calais, France. The MSF team on site since 10 September is working with Médecins du Monde. “We are humanitarian aid workers and are used to providing aid to refugees in medical and health emergencies in Sudan, Ethiopia, Jordan and elsewhere, but the situation here has been particularly shocking,” says Pierre-Pascal Vandini, the MSF project coordinator. “People have been left to fend for themselves, law enforcement turns a blind eye to violence, there are not enough water stations or showers and no one is maintaining the scanty health infrastructure. It’s organized abandonment.” Project Update - 23 Sep 2015

South Sudan

MSF and UNICEF provide treatment to 16,000 children in mass malaria campaign in Bentiu PoC

“The malaria outbreak in the Bentiu camp is unprecedented in scope and has been claiming the lives of far too many children,” says Vanessa Cramond, MSF Medical Coordinator in Bentiu. “With the escalating morbidity and mortality witnessed in the under-five population, it was evident another response strategy was needed to reach those most at risk of death.” Project Update - 21 Sep 2015

Democratic Republic of Congo

More than 500 people fall victim to drug poisoning in the Ariwara region, Ituri

At the beginning of January 2015, MSF was alerted by the Congolese health authorities of a possible meningitis epidemic, but it turned out that the syndrome was caused by counterfeit drugs available on the local market.“Our medical team quickly realised that this was not meningitis. The lumbar puncture procedures that we carried out were all negative and no deaths were registered,” explains Philippe Latour, Head of Mission for MSF in DRC. Project Update - 18 Sep 2015

Colombia

MSF provides medical and mental health care on the border with Venezuela

“We are observing factors associated with having to live in shelters such as stress from the rupture of daily habits and the lack of opportunities and employment,” says Nestor Rubiano, MSF’s mental health advisor who is currently in Cúcuta. Project Update - 17 Sep 2015

Serbia

MSF reinforces activities after Hungary border closure

“Closing borders is not a solution, it just pushes responsibility to a neighbouring country and forces people to take more risks and makes their journey even harder, with a clear impact on their health” says Ana de Lemos, MSF project coordinator. “As long as conflicts continue in countries of origin, people will continue to be forced to become refugees, and they will continue to have to find ways out no matter the obstacles.” Project Update - 17 Sep 2015

Greece

MSF team providing psychological support and medical care to survivors of shipwreck off Farmakonisi island

On Sunday 13 September, a wooden boat carrying more than 130 refugees and migrants sank off the Greek island of Farmakonisi. An MSF team from Kos was sent to Leros immediately to provide mental health support and medical care to survivors. "People are shocked and terrified by the experience. There are people who lost their relatives, others who lost their children”, says Vangelis Orfanoudakis, MSF coordinator. Project Update - 15 Sep 2015

Central African Republic

MSF provides medical assistance for displaced people in Carnot

MSF is assisting the Ministry of Health with its Expanded Vaccination Programme in Carnot. MSF’s Dr Aubin Vergnes says it is crucial to act fast when there’s a risk of an epidemic. “In overcrowded conditions like these, just one case of measles can spread like wildfire to all the children in the camp, so the health authorities and MSF prepared the vaccination campaign in under three days.” Project Update - 14 Sep 2015

Greece

Closure of Captain Elias camp in Kos leaves refugees even more vulnerable

“It is unacceptable that this closure was not accompanied by any decision from the authorities to provide other facilities for refugees arriving in Kos” said Elisa Galli, MSF Field Coordinator in Kos. “Captain Elias was far from ideal, but now people have absolutely nowhere to go. There is no clarity on what will happen next, and authorities are not assuming their responsibilities about the well-being of these vulnerable people. As we have said repeatedly, the authorities need to ensure that adequate reception facilities are provided.” Project Update - 11 Sep 2015

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Independent medical humanitarian assistance

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.

Learn more

About Us

What we do

Where we work

MSF Websites