The 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health takes place in Guadalajara, Mexico, on 11-14 October 2017. Follow on social media using the hashtag: #UnionConf Event - 10 Oct 2017

Most of MSF’s patients are young women. “We see a lot of teenagers aged from 15 to 17, who come for antenatal consultations,” says Dr Diana. “Often they are referred to us from other health centres, because we are the only medical public facility opened 24 hours”.

Honduras

“We have gone from seven deliveries each month to more than 30”

“We are working alongside the Ministry of Health and the municipal authorities, and this is a great success in itself: all parties working together to provide care for the region’s women”. Project Update - 10 Oct 2017

Portrait of Nouri, 40 Years old from Syria

Nouri and his wife decided to flee Syria to save their 4 children from the war. After a few months in Turkey they took the trip 9 times to reach Greece.

“On the 22nd of July we arrived in Greece. Since I arrived in Greece, I felt as if I was born again, all the suffering I forgot, but unfortunately again, not as we expected…I don't know until this moment if we are staying, if we are going… we are like in a prison.”

Greece

EU border policies fuel mental health crisis for asylum seekers

“These people have survived bombing, extreme violence and traumatic events in their home countries or on the road to Europe.” Report - 10 Oct 2017

"During my counselling, some patients burst into tears and find it difficult to stop," says Leah, a counsellor at the MSF women's health clinic in Kamrangirchar, a slum in the south of Dhaka. "When I manage to calm her spirits down, then she begins to trust me and starts sharing everything with me. In those times, I feel that I have successfully done my duty." In 2016, the MSF team in Kamrangichar, a slum in the south of Dhaka, provided medical and psychological support to 535 victims of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. In 2017, the numbers are set to be even higher.

Bangladesh

"Now, no one can abuse me" - Counselling for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence

“We see lots of cases where young women are being abused by their intimate partner and other family members, and it makes them really at risk of developing mental health disorders.” Voices from the Field - 10 Oct 2017

Mental health

Healing minds - MSF and mental health

In a gallery of images, MSF highlights our work in providing people with mental health and psychosocial support after experiencing crisis or conflict. Photo Story - 9 Oct 2017

The 45 years old Mr Abdi Wolle Ilmewore was one of the patients treated for AWD at Kebridhar Case Treatment Centre (CTC). Now he has been recovering from his illness and ready to leave the centre

Ethiopia

Crisis update – September 2017

Three rainy seasons in a row without substantial rains have led to a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. People in the Somali region are particularly affected by acute malnutrition and disease outbreaks. Crisis Update - 6 Oct 2017

One of the wards inside the ITFC, part of the paediatric unit in Magaria hospital.

Niger

“Treating children as quickly, and as close to home, as possible”

The lean season before the harvest is when the number of cases of malnutrition is at its highest; this can be lethal for young children. Press Release - 6 Oct 2017

Absatou is giving Fassouma her medicine. Before leaving the hospital, Absatou was given the treatment to be completed at home for Fassouma to be completely healed. Here sitting in front of her house.

Niger

Ten days with Absatou and Fassouma

In September 2017, in Niger, 2,226 children were admitted to Magaria hospital’s paediatric unit. Among them was Fassouma, accompanied by her mother Absatou. We followed them from the observation room in Dantchiao to the paediatric unit in Magaria, and then back to their village of Zazari Foulani. Photo Story - 6 Oct 2017

South Sudan

Continuing displacement is the new reality for many along northern frontier

“An older man came and dropped to the ground on his knees... he did not know what to do anymore. He just wept, in the middle of the group, like he had run out of hope.”
Project Update - 6 Oct 2017

A man looks at the view of Kutupalong Makeshift Settlement, one of the main pre-existing settlements where some of the 507,000 new arrivals have sought shelter. Kutupalong and Balukhali, the largest two settlements, have effectively merged into one densely populated mega-settlement of nearly 500,000 people, making it one of the largest refugee concentrations in the world. The situation in the camps is so incredibly fragile, especially with regard to shelter, food and water, and sanitation, that one small event could lead to an outbreak that may be the tipping point between a crisis and a catastrophe, MSF says. There is an acute need for a massive humanitarian intervention focusing on food, clean water, shelter, and sanitation, and a solution is needed to reduce the size of these massive, congested camps.

Rohingya refugee crisis

“If this is the better option, the other must have been a living hell”

"I’ve heard the most horrific stories from women who have lost their husbands just trying to get here...you start to understand how harrowing this situation is." Voices from the Field - 6 Oct 2017

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.

Learn more

About Us

What we do

Where we work

MSF Websites

MSF at the 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health