Doctors Without Borders Doctors Without Borders, malnutrition, or Médecins natural disasters Sans


Frontières (MSF), is an international medical aid organization created to “deliver emergency medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics,


or


exclusion from health care.” Established in France in 1971, it now provides assistance to those in need in more than 60 countries around the globe. Te organization currently supports over 27,000 medical professionals. At most recent count, about 340 of those aid workers are American.


Today, most of MSF’s surgical care takes place in Africa, where they treat everything from birth defects to casualties of war. Tey also do sophisticated epidemiological research (epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes and effects of disease and other health conditions) and the medical data they have gathered has lead to a much deeper understanding of epidemics and global health.


An MSF health worker examines a malnourished child


Te prerequisites for becoming MSF medical staff are stringent, but once a medical professional has been approved by a Human Resources Officer, training is minimal. New recruits are required to participate in “Information Days,” a brief training conference that is held in New York City. Once a recruit has completed “Information Days” training, they become an active member of the field staff and are eligible to receive assignments. While waiting to be sent on assignment, most medical professionals remain at home and pursue their careers outside of MSF.


For more Doctors Without Borders Flag 17 information about Doctors Without


Borders please visit: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricklibrarian/1427622743/


Cate Turton / Department for International Development


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