To effectively increase people’s access to all COVID medical tools, governments must return to TRIPS Waiver proposed over 20 months ago At the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council Meeting (7 June) and the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (12 – 15 June), governments are expected to continue negotiations on a problematic draft text presented in … Read more
Following US expression of support on 5 May, EU and other remaining opposing countries must urgently join global consensus The governments co-sponsoring the proposal to waive intellectual property on COVID-19 medical tools have just submitted a revised proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO). It reaffirms that the scope of the waiver should cover all medical tools … Read more
The year 2020 was extremely challenging for people all over the world, as they experienced extraordinary levels of disease, loss, fear and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. In many countries where Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) works – and some in which we normally don’t – the pandemic exacerbated existing … Read more
By Santosh Choure, Health Promotion Manager, Mumbai Mumbai is still seeing more than 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day. People are scared and many of them don’t prefer to get tested even though they have symptoms, as they’re afraid of being quarantined or hospitalized and separated from their family members. MSF is working in … Read more
By Mabel Morales, MSF Medical Coordinator The situation in India and in Mumbai is very bad and critical. We’re providing medical support to one of the COVID-19 treatment centres here in Mumbai with 1,000 beds. There are many, many cases and the last week of April has seen a real increase. The health workers are … Read more
By Dilip Bhaskaran, Project Coordinator, Mumbai COVID-19 project We have been collaborating with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to co-manage dedicated Jumbo COVID-19 Care Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). MCGM is doing a great job and we started this collaboration during the first wave providing patient care. Now, during the second wave, … Read more
Brussels: In a briefing paper released today, titled “Gasping For Air”, the international medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) highlights the importance of placing medical oxygen supply, not only vaccines and PPE, at the heart of a global COVID-19 response. With vaccines unavailable in the majority of countries worldwide, people will continue … Read more
By Aparna Iyer, Project Medical Referent, MSF Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Project in Mumbai MSF’s drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and HIV project is located in the M-East Ward, one of the TB high-burden areas in Mumbai. During the second wave, there was a high number of COVID-19 cases being reported, about 6,000-7,000 cases a day which forced authorities … Read more
NEW YORK — Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontierès (MSF) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to support waiving intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines. Doing so will increase sufficient and timely access to these lifesaving medical tools as COVID-19 continues to ravage countries across the globe. Many of the low-income countries in which MSF operates have only received 0.3 percent of global … Read more
By Dr Gautam Harigovind, Medical Activity Manager, COVID-19 project, Mumbai Picture a thousand-bed hospital. There are 28 wards, as well as the emergency, casualty and triage areas. It’s a makeshift hospital in a huge metal tent. Walking into it the first time was a surreal experience; I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like walking … Read more