Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) brings essential healthcare to people who are victims of conflict, natural disasters, healthcare exclusion, epidemics or pandemics.

 

We offer basic healthcare, perform surgery, fight epidemics, rehabilitate and run hospitals and clinics, carry out vaccination campaigns, operate nutrition centres, provide mental healthcare, and offer training to local medical staff. Our emergency teams are trained and equipped with everything they need to bring rapid assistance to people in crisis.

 

We also provide medical care and psychological support to people living in chronic emergency situations, such as people displaced by conflict or disaster. MSF programmes all over the world treat patients with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and kala azar.

 

When needed, we construct wells, supply safe drinking water, and distribute shelter materials and other relief items such as cooking and washing kits.

 

MSF offers medical humanitarian assistance in countries where armed conflict, endemic or epidemic disease, social violence, healthcare exclusion or natural disaster are taking place. 

 

The core purpose of humanitarian assistance is to save lives, alleviate suffering and help restore the dignity of individuals who find themselves in life-threatening circumstances. 

 

MSF operations usually involve medical teams working in health centres, clinics or hospitals, addressing the most urgent medical needs of people in crisis. We can also supply safe drinking water or distribute shelter materials. We retain continuous and direct control over the management and delivery of our assistance. 

 

We use our experience and judgement in deciding whether to offer assistance, and what kind. Medical teams conduct evaluations to determine medical needs before opening programmes. We analyse what assistance MSF can potentially bring, and we regularly question our own decisions about presence or absence. 

 

People caught up in armed conflict may be victims of harassment, violent attacks, rape or murder. They may be forcibly displaced from their homes. Health services can be scarce at a time when comprehensive medical and humanitarian support are most needed. 

 

Our teams bring relief and medical services to people caught up in or displaced by conflict. When hospitals and health centres are destroyed or overwhelmed, MSF provides healthcare and support. Our activities often involve teams setting up operating theatres, clinics offering basic healthcare, public hygiene assistance, nutrition programmes, epidemic control and mental health services. 

 

People affected by a natural disaster require an immediate medical response. Many may be injured, and many more may have lost family, friends, their homes or belongings. 

 

Needs must be quickly identified, but accessing a disaster area can be complex. MSF keeps pre-packaged kits in readiness, so that teams can offer rapid lifesaving assistance. They can provide surgery, psychosocial support, nutritional support, and relief items such as blankets, tents, and cooking and washing materials. 

 

Our teams can also take preventive action where needed, ensuring safe water supplies, setting up sanitation systems, and conducting vaccinations campaigns to address the risk of epidemics.

 

Our assistance considers the importance of local efforts and strategies, and we collaborate extensively with national authorities and organisations. We are aware that international intervention in such crises has limitations in terms of time, quality and pertinence. The vast majority of staff working in MSF programmes are hired locally.