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About Us

How we work

See what triggers an intervention and how supply and logistics allow our teams to respond quickly.

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How we're run

Discover our governance and what it means to be an association. Find a quick visual guide to our offices around the world.

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Reports and financials

Read through our annual financial and activity reports, and find out about where our funds come from and how they are spent.

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Accountability

Read the policies, reports, and plans on how we address issues like racism and reduce our carbon footprint, ensuring our actions align with the highest ethical standards.

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What we do

Médecins Sans Frontières brings medical humanitarian assistance to victims of conflict, natural disasters, epidemics or healthcare exclusion.

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Featured Cholera Gaza Israel war Mediterranean migration

Where we work

In more than 70 countries, Médecins Sans Frontières provides medical humanitarian assistance to save lives and ease the suffering of people in crisis situations.

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Featured Haiti Palestine Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

MSF Websites

A Global Network
Our offices around the world
Our offices around the world
Other Sites
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MSF Access

MSF Access pushes for access to, and the development of, life-saving and life-prolonging medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for people in our programmes and beyond.

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CRASH

Based in Paris, CRASH conducts and directs studies and analysis of MSF actions. They participate in internal training sessions and assessment missions in the field.

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UREPH

Based in Geneva, UREPH (or Research Unit) aims to improve the way MSF projects are implemented in the field and to participate in critical thinking on humanitarian and medical action.

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ARHP

Based in Barcelona, ARHP documents and reflects on the operational challenges and dilemmas faced by the MSF field teams.

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MSF Analysis

Based in Brussels, MSF Analysis intends to stimulate reflection and debate on humanitarian topics organised around the themes of migration, refugees, aid access, health policy and the environment in which aid operates.

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MSF Supply

This logistical and supply centre in Brussels provides storage of and delivers medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

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MSF Logistique

This supply and logistics centre in Bordeaux, France, provides warehousing and delivery of medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

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Amsterdam Procurement Unit

This logistical centre in Amsterdam purchases, tests, and stores equipment including vehicles, communications material, power supplies, water-processing facilities and nutritional supplements.

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Brazilian Medical Unit

BRAMU specialises in neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue and Chagas, and other infectious diseases. This medical unit is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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MSF Medical Guidelines

Our medical guidelines are based on scientific data collected from MSF’s experiences, the World Health Organization (WHO), other renowned international medical institutions, and medical and scientific journals.

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Epicentre

Providing epidemiological expertise to underpin our operations, conducting research and training to support our goal of providing medical aid in areas where people are affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or excluded from health care.

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Evaluation Units

Evaluation Units have been established in Vienna, Stockholm, and Paris, assessing the potential and limitations of medical humanitarian action, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our medical humanitarian work.

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LGBTQI+ Inclusion in Health Settings

MSF works with LGBTQI+ populations in many settings over the last 25-30 years. LGBTQI+ people face healthcare disparities with limited access to care and higher disease rates than the general population.

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LUXOR

The Luxembourg Operational Research (LuxOR) unit coordinates field research projects and operational research training, and provides support for documentation activities and routine data collection.

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MSF Academy for Healthcare

To upskill and provide training to locally-hired MSF staff in several countries, MSF has created the MSF Academy for Healthcare.

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Humanitarian Law

This Guide explains the terms, concepts, and rules of humanitarian law in accessible and reader-friendly alphabetical entries.

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MSF Paediatric Days

The MSF Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff, policy makers and academia to exchange ideas, align efforts, inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field.

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MSF Foundation

The MSF Foundation aims to create a fertile arena for logistics and medical knowledge-sharing to meet the needs of MSF and the humanitarian sector as a whole.

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DNDi

A collaborative, patients’ needs-driven, non-profit drug research and development organisation that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases, founded in 2003 by seven organisations from around the world.

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MSF Science Portal

Our digital portal dedicated to sharing the latest medical evidence from our humanitarian activities around the globe.

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Noma

Noma is a preventable and treatable neglected disease, but 90 per cent of people will die within the first two weeks of infection if they do not receive treatment.

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TIC

The TIC is aiming to change how MSF works to better meet the evolving needs of our patients.

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Telemedicine

MSF's telemedicine hub aims to overcome geographic barriers for equitable, accessible, and quality patient care.

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Sweden Innovation Unit

Launched in 2012, the MSF Sweden Innovation Unit deploys a human-centered approach for promoting a culture of innovation within MSF.

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Geo MSF

The GeoMSF platform is a dynamic one-stop-shop website for all of MSF's GIS related services and products. Access maps and applications through the catalogue, request geographical support, or produce a map on GeoMSF.

GeoMSF
Ebola disease in DRC: find out how we're responding
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Alma is a 16 year old girl from Syria who is receiving counselling from MSF in Domeez refugee camp, northern Iraq. Her testimony is below. The war and its aftermath have had far reaching consequences for the mental health of children. As of October 2013 in Domeez, children and adolescents comprise 50 percent of all MSF’s new patients. Every week, between 15 and 20 children and adolescents aged 18 and under are admitted to the program. "We’ve been living in the camp for six months, after coming from Damascus to escape the war. There are six people in my family and we all live in one tent. At first we were happy to be here, and to be safe. Compared to Damascus, it is better. There we lived amidst war, at least here it is safe. But I am not happy here. After I arrived here, when I got upset or angry, I would faint. Last week, this happened twice. In the last month, it has happened six times. I don’t know why it happens. After I faint, and I have gained consciousness, I lie there for an hour or so then I get up. I have shortness in breath after it happens and it takes an hour to feel ok again. Most of the time there is no reason. I don’t sleep very well and I am scared when I sleep. When I wake up, I am still scared. I am afraid of the tents. They remind me of the funeral procession when my cousin was killed in Syria. I remember people crying and I feel that I have dark things in front of my eyes. Every second night, I have nightmares. I also don’t eat very much. From yesterday until now, I did not eat. My biggest wish is to go back to Syria with my family. I want to study, but it’s not possible, either here or in Syria. It is difficult to have hope for the future when we don’t know what will happen."
Syria

An invisible crisis - alarming psychological needs among refugees in Iraq

MSF is seeing an alarming deterioration in the mental health situation of Syrian refugees in Domeez refugee camp in northern Iraq. This deterioration is linked not only to what they have witnessed in Syria, but also the ongoing life of uncertainty, inadequate conditions, and the lack of hope for the future they face living in the camp. Project Update - 8 Oct 2013
 
Alma is a 16 year old girl from Syria who is receiving counselling from MSF in Domeez refugee camp, northern Iraq. Her testimony is below. The war and its aftermath have had far reaching consequences for the mental health of children. As of October 2013 in Domeez, children and adolescents comprise 50 percent of all MSF’s new patients. Every week, between 15 and 20 children and adolescents aged 18 and under are admitted to the program. "We’ve been living in the camp for six months, after coming from Damascus to escape the war. There are six people in my family and we all live in one tent. At first we were happy to be here, and to be safe. Compared to Damascus, it is better. There we lived amidst war, at least here it is safe. But I am not happy here. After I arrived here, when I got upset or angry, I would faint. Last week, this happened twice. In the last month, it has happened six times. I don’t know why it happens. After I faint, and I have gained consciousness, I lie there for an hour or so then I get up. I have shortness in breath after it happens and it takes an hour to feel ok again. Most of the time there is no reason. I don’t sleep very well and I am scared when I sleep. When I wake up, I am still scared. I am afraid of the tents. They remind me of the funeral procession when my cousin was killed in Syria. I remember people crying and I feel that I have dark things in front of my eyes. Every second night, I have nightmares. I also don’t eat very much. From yesterday until now, I did not eat. My biggest wish is to go back to Syria with my family. I want to study, but it’s not possible, either here or in Syria. It is difficult to have hope for the future when we don’t know what will happen."
Syria

It is difficult to have hope for the future when we don’t know what will happen

Testimony of Alma, a 16 year old girl from Syria who is receiving counselling from MSF in Domeez refugee camp, northern Iraq. Voices from the Field - 8 Oct 2013
 
MSF maintains its medical activities all around CAR, those already set up before the March coup d’Etat and those recently established to respond to the acute needs of the population affected by displacement, high levels of malaria and the collapse and absence of the public health system in the country. MSF is operating eight regular projects in CAR, while it has recently started emergency operations in three locations more. In the pictures, patients attended in Bouca (325 km north of Bangui).
Central African Republic

9,000 children vaccinated against measles, polio in Gadzi

MSF staff have vaccinated 9,000 children against measles and polio in Central African Republic. The campaign is part of on-going medical humanitarian efforts by MSF to offer lifesaving healthcare – including treatment for malnutrition – to people who otherwise have access to little or no basic medical care. Project Update - 7 Oct 2013
 
Head of Mission Chris Lockyear at work in Pakistan during the earthquake in 2008.
Pakistan

MSF still without authorisation to enter earthquake-affected Awaran area

Despite daily discussions with the Government of Pakistan, MSF has not yet been granted permission to work in the earthquake affected Awaran area. Project Update - 4 Oct 2013
 
Mogadishu, Somalia Enfant se promenant entre les carcasses d'engins de guerre. Child walking between abandonned weapons
Somalia

MSF launches website revealing insights to its decisions to speak out on crises

A new website launched by MSF reveals insights into the organisation’s decisions on speaking out in times of crises, including during the civil war and famine in Somalia in the early 1990s. Press Release - 3 Oct 2013
 
Syrian refugees transporting their goods and luggage's using a donkey for passing the borders between Syria and Iraq Kurdistan.
Syria

MSF provides emergency care to families fleeing to Iraq

Some 60,000 refugees from Syria have crossed the border into the Kurdish region of Iraq since it reopened on 15 August after being closed for three months. Project Update - 2 Oct 2013
 
The village of Lwibo devastated after armed groups attack. On 27 September 2013 armed groups attacked the village and committed violences against civilians.
Democratic Republic of Congo

MSF denounces acts of violence against civilians in Masisi territory

MSF is providing emergency care to people injured during violent clashes in Masisi territory in DRC on September 27. The organisation is calling on armed groups to respect civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Press Release - 1 Oct 2013
 
A woman with her child waits in MSF's mobile clinic to register her name to see a doctor in t Northern Syria, on Tuesday, February 5, 2013. This is the fourth mobile clinic session MSF has conducted in the same village, according to Dr. Tharcis Zinet, as the need from its people for basic healthcare is widespread. The village experienced heavy fighting until five months ago.
Syria

Open letter to all States and non-State actors involved in the conflict

MSF calls on US and Russia to place at the top of their diplomatic agendas the substantial scale up of humanitarian aid to millions of war-affected Syrians. Open Letter - 27 Sep 2013
 
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Syria

“It's practically impossible to get emergency obstetric care"

An MSF midwife, recently returned from Syria, talks about the lifesaving services MSF is providing in the country and the huge challenges pregnant women there face trying to access critical obstetric care. Voices from the Field - 24 Sep 2013
 
On the N25 road to Isiro between Nia Nia and Wamba. When trucks cannot go through because of the rain, transport is done with motorbikes.
Democratic Republic of Congo

Innovative vaccination strategies to respond to measles epidemic

Tessy Fautsch, a nurse, went with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to Wamba in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to take part in a measles vaccination campaign, part of a new project responding to the epidemic that has been devastating the country since 2010. Project Update - 23 Sep 2013
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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