Afghanistan: Measles surge necessitates strengthening of prevention measures

Ten-month-old Bilal lies in bed at Mazar-i-Sharif regional hospital, in Afghanistan’s Balkh province, where he is being treated for measles and pneumonia, watched over by his mother Zakia.  When Bilal fell ill with a fever, Zakia took him to one privately-run clinic after another, but his condition got worse. “In the beginning, he had a … Read more

Gavi must do more as WHO/UNICEF estimates show slow childhood vaccination recovery

Gavi should waive co-financing requirements for countries with fragile health systems or in humanitarian crises. Geneva, 18 July, 2023 — Today, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) again called on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to broaden “catch-up” vaccine coverage for unprotected children by temporarily waiving co-financing requirements for all countries and areas with fragile health … Read more

Helping tackle malnutrition and malaria in Angola

Malnutrition and malaria are common in remote communities in Angola, especially during peaks of drought and heavy rain. Women and their children are most affected. For the last year, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has collaborated with local health authorities to reduce the burden of these diseases in the provinces of Huíla and Benguela. … Read more

Nigeria: MSF raises alarm over escalating malnutrition crisis in the northwest

Abuja, 03 July 2023 – A malnutrition crisis is escalating in northwest Nigeria, prompting international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to reinforce its activities while warning that the current humanitarian response is insufficient to avert a potential catastrophe in the coming months. MSF has opened three new outpatient therapeutic feeding centres, in … Read more

Nigeria: MSF raises alarm over escalating malnutrition crisis in northwest

Abuja, 03 July 2023 – A malnutrition crisis is escalating in northwest Nigeria, prompting international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to reinforce its activities while warning that the current humanitarian response is insufficient to avert a potential catastrophe in the coming months. MSF has opened three new outpatient therapeutic feeding centres, in … Read more

Central African Republic: “To be born or to give birth is to take a risk”: maternal and child health as a forgotten emergency

Decades of instability and armed violence in Central African Republic (CAR) have contributed to essential medical care being out of reach for many pregnant women and newborn babies. Overshadowed by the security situation in the country, tackling this everyday emergency is a priority for MSF teams. Divine has been labouring in pain for hours, her … Read more

Afghanistan: Revolting attack on maternity ward kills pregnant women and babies

KABUL – Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is devastated after yesterday’s sickening attack on pregnant women, mothers and their babies at our maternity ward in Dasht-e-Barchi hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. While pregnant women and babies, in one of life’s most vulnerable states, were seeking healthcare, an unknown number of attackers stormed the maternity ward through … Read more