The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting the world’s most vulnerable. Among them are more than 70 million forcibly displaced people worldwide – refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people (IDPs) – as well as migrant workers, including undocumented migrants. Many of these men, women and children live in formal and informal camps, reception centres, or in detention centres. … Read more
Ajaz Ahmad Sofi, Clinical Psychologist at MSF mental health care project in Jammu and Kashmir writes how our teams are working to meet a huge need for psychological support in the valley. “Complaints related to mental health are not new to the people in Kashmir. Decades of difficult times have led to a huge need … Read more
Are you in self-isolation? Is your mind surrounded by information related to the epidemic/pandemic? In difficult times, like during a pandemic, many people start feeling stressed, anxious and have other overwhelming emotions. MSF Psychologist Sharika Amin offers three ways to help us cope with stress during these times.
One of the most densely populated countries in the world, Bangladesh also houses the world’s largest refugee camp. Across Cox’s Bazar, nearly one million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. As COVID-19 spreads through Bangladesh, these are the five key challenges to overcome. 1. Highly vulnerable populations Across Bangladesh, many impoverished communities face a precarious existence in crowded environments, making … Read more
MEXICO CITY/NEW YORK – The United States government must suspend all deportations to Latin America and the Caribbean, a process that is moving people from the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States to lower transmission countries and which will exacerbate a public health crisis in the region, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said. “Despite the … Read more
Kathrine Zimmerman is a nurse who has worked in intensive care units at the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), the university teaching hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. For 10 years, she completed humanitarian missions in Africa, Central America and Switzerland. She currently manages the improvement of healthcare programme at Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) headquarters in … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic cannot be said to have gone unnoticed as it crashes around the globe. But in the places it has hit hardest, the virus has made its way silently into all corners of society’s fabric. And it has taken one of the heaviest tolls in residential homes for elderly people, who need a very special … Read more
A full lockdown has been in place in the West Bank for more than three weeks, with over 300 people confirmed to have COVID-19 in Palestine. The harshness of these security measures, intended to prevent the virus from spreading further, is impacting the lives of more than 3.2 million people living in the West Bank. But while millions … Read more
MSF teams are racing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the more than 70 countries in which we run programmes, while opening projects in new countries as they become pandemic hotspots. Our COVID-19 response focuses on three main priorities: supporting health authorities to provide care for patients with COVID-19; protecting people who are vulnerable and at risk; … Read more
AMSTERDAM/NORTHEAST SYRIA — As the first reported death from COVID-19 is confirmed in northeast Syria, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is concerned about the region’s preparedness and capacity to respond to an outbreak. A weakened health system, delays in testing and border closures make it near-impossible to adequately respond to a COVID -19 outbreak in the region. Nine … Read more