Proactive search and rescue operations essential life-saver

“Increasingly, we see that we are required to carry out multiple rescues from multiple boats within a matter of hours”, said Lindis Hurum, MSF Emergency Coordinator on board of the Bourbon Argos. “Our teams have also encountered boats with people who had already died from dehydration or asphyxiation during the journey. To me this suggests that despite the EU response supposedly being ‘bigger and better’ than last year, there are not enough boats available and in the right spot to adequately respond to the needs of those crossing the Mediterranean.” Project Update - 20 Aug 2015

Flood victims vulnerable to dengue fever

“This is peak dengue season and we need to remain vigilant after the floods to prevent further spread,” says Liesbeth Aelbrecht, MSF Myanmar Country Director. “We will focus on helping treat the disease as well as training Ministry of Health staff and volunteers on how to fumigate potential breeding sites and to spread messages to communities about dengue prevention.” Project Update - 17 Aug 2015

Project Update

A month in focus: August 2015

Ebola: a hope-bringing vaccine; Lebanon: Lives ruined by the conflict; Tanzania: Cholera, a new threat to Burundian refugees; Malawi: In the over-populated prisons; Antivenom serums: In worrying shortage; Yemen: "You come and do the work!".

Project Update - 17 Aug 2015

South Sudan

On pace for a second, exceptionally severe malaria season

MSF stresses the need to be prepared for the possibility of another severe malaria season in South Sudan. While the medical needs in conflict-affected areas of the country are beyond critical, basic primary healthcare cannot be neglected anywhere in the country. Otherwise, a second devastating malaria season could result in an untold number of preventable deaths. Project Update - 14 Aug 2015

Greece

Greek authorities’ inaction turns into abuse of refugees in Kos

“MSF is very worried about how the situation is evolving in Kos.” says Brice de le Vingne, MSF Director of Operations. “What was previously a situation of state inaction is now one of state abuse, with police using increasing heavy handed force against these vulnerable people. The great majority of people arriving here are refugees fleeing war in Syria and Afghanistan. The Kos authorities have clearly stated that they have no intention of improving the situation for these people as they believe that this would constitute a ‘pull factor’. But the truth is that people fleeing war will keep on coming whether or not the authorities are trying to stop them from doing so.” Project Update - 12 Aug 2015

Central African Republic

Local health worker killed near Bossangoa

Local health worker Pkecko Harly (also called Alfred), was killed by an unidentified individual during an armed robbery while he was on his way back from Bossangoa (Ouham prefecture) to Pama. Project Update - 7 Aug 2015

Myanmar

MSF assisting thousands as worst flooding in decades hits parts of the country

After days of severe rains across swathes of Myanmar in the wake of Cyclone Komen, MSF is working with local government authorities to provide medical and non-medical aid to thousands of people affected by flooding.“The entire township of Minbya is flooded – schools, hospitals, everything,” said MSF doctor, Dr. Zayar, who was part of a team sent to the town at the request of State Health Department, the Emergency Coordination Committee and other community groups. “All drinking water sources are flooded too.” Project Update - 4 Aug 2015

Democratic Republic of Congo

MSF has vaccinated over 287,000 children against measles in four provinces

“This is the most serious epidemic Katanga has seen since 2011. We are adapting our current activities, and drawing on our experience from 2011. In one year, we have vaccinated almost 1.5 million children and treated more than 50,000 cases in 31 of the 68 health zones in Katanga Province,” explains Jean-Guy Vataux, MSF Head of Mission in DRC. “But people have difficulty accessing treatment, and it is also likely that cases are under-reported, so the current epidemics may well be more serious than they appear. It is important to act as quickly as possible, so that we don’t end up in the same situation as in 2011, or an even more serious one.” Project Update - 3 Aug 2015

Guinea-Bissau

28,500 children vaccinated against measles

More than 28,500 children between six months and five years old have been vaccinated against measles by the country’s Ministry of Health and MSF. Project Update - 31 Jul 2015

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Rose of Masisi

A counselor at the Village d’Accueil gives us a tour of the MSF-supported Masisi general hospital in North Kivu, where women with high-risk pregnancies stay as they wait to give birth. Project Update - 27 Jul 2015

Four mothers posing in a corridor of the Hospital in Bili. All four of them are staying in the hospital with their child, that's suffering from a severe case of malaria. Since the beginning of the project in 2016, the pediatric ward already treated more than 4.000 cases of complicated/severe form of malaria.

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.

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