By Retsat Dazang: Mental Health Activity Manager, MSF Somalia The woman didn’t come to talk about her mind. She came because she hadn’t slept in weeks and her chest felt tight, “like a hand sitting here.” In our clinics across Somalia, this is the first sentence we hear most often, not “I need mental health … Read more
The first rays of dawn break over the mountains as Naseer Mir Ahmad begin his morning. A brisk two-kilometer walk through his neighborhood, the crisp air filling his lungs as he mentally prepares for the day ahead. For Naseer, a counsellor educator with Doctors Without Borders India/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Kashmir, each day … Read more
The morning sun rises over the green mountains of Kashmir as Taheem Jafar prepares for another day as a community mental health worker with Doctors Without Borders India/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). It’s 9:00 AM, and she’s already gathering her materials—information leaflets, her diary, and a pen in one of the Primary Health Centers (PHC) in … Read more
In the picturesque valleys of Kashmir, where communities have faced years of uncertainty, mental health remains a critical yet often overlooked concern. Two drivers with Doctors Without Borders India/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Mohammad Yakoob and Mohammad Ashraf, have witnessed firsthand how perceptions of mental health have evolved over two decades. When I first joined … Read more
In a small consultation room in Kashmir, Nadia Ishfaq listens intently as a one of the MSF counsellor discusses one case and speaks about the challenges. As a clinical psychologist working as a Mental Health Supervisor with Doctors Without Borders India/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Nadia leads a team of professionals providing mental healthcare across the … Read more
The RSP in Amman was established by Médecins Sans Frontières MSF in 2006 to provide surgical, rehabilitative and psychological care for victims of war across the Middle East. As part of psychological care, the RSP encourages peer support – patients offering and receiving support based on shared experiences and challenges. This happens both formally, through … Read more
The 13-year-long war in Syria, the earthquake in February 2023 and the lack of international support to rebuild healthcare infrastructure have deprived pregnant women and new mothers of their most fundamental right of access to adequate and dignified maternity care, especially during pregnancy and childbirth. This basic right is becoming elusive for pregnant women and … Read more
The MSF team on Lesvos island, Greece, conducted over 1,500 mental health consultations between January and August 2024. Our psychologists report that most patients suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and acute stress disorder. People’s symptoms include difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, chronic fatigue, despair, depersonalisation, and helplessness, among others. The undignified living conditions in the Closed … Read more
In South Sudan, mental health issues are overshadowed by poverty, violence, and displacement. Neglected by the health system and confronted by deep-rooted stigma, many people face their mental health struggles in silence, enduring a daily battle that goes unseen and unheard. When she was just 12 years old, Mary Nyanhial Kiel had to escape her … Read more
As the unrelenting horror continues in Gaza, Palestine, our teams in Rafah and the Middle Area are seeing a spectrum of mental health issues among children and adults. Since the beginning of the year, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has provided over 8,800 psychosocial support sessions for people in Gaza. Davide Musardo, MSF psychologist, recently left … Read more