Doctors without Borders A Presentation by Paige Ivey Médecins sans Frontières

MSF Basics Who? –Doctors, nurses, water and sanitation specialists, epidemiologists, administrators

MSF Basics What? –Outpatient consuts –Vaccination –Surgery –Water sanitation –Epidemic treatment –Ready-to-use food –HIV/AIDS treatment MSF responds to a cyclone in Bangladesh in 2007

ARV Therapy

MSF Basics Where? MSF Activity in 2008 In 2008 MSF sent more than 3,000 volunteers to ~80 different countries

“Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political convictions.” -MSF Charter Why?

Brief History of MSF Created in France, 1971 –Merge of two separate international aid groups: Groupe d’Intervention Médicale et Churgicale en Urgence (“Emergency Medical and Surgical Intervention Group”) and Bernard Kouchner Secours Médical Français (“French Medical Relief”) Reputation exceeds impact 1977—Claude Malhuret elected president

More History… Internal strife had developed concerning Kouchner’s media tactics –1979 conflict with Vietnamese “Boat People” –Kouchner and friends break away and form Médecins du Monde, “Doctors of the World” 1980s: growth in Europe 1990s: worldwide offices 1999: Nobel Peace Prize

Truly Neutral? From the charter: “Médecins Sans Frontières observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.” Divided from the beginning Tensions between Kouchner and younger generation of doctors MSF Speaks Out: –1985: Ethiopia –1995: Serbia –2004: Darfur

Firsthand Account Cholera in Burundi

Effectiveness 2007 Finance Raised $161,446,238 –$152,136,404 from contributions Spent –$1,739,997 administrative expenses –$17,575,590 fundraising expenses –$133,695,129 on MSF programs

Critics Only short-term positive effects Humanitarian organizations as political smoke screens Impossible to anticipate the consequences of providing aid “Aid can only mitigate the awfulness, not stop it.” –Alex de Waal, Touched by Fire

For More Information Touched by Fire: Doctors Without Borders in a Third World Crisis –By: Elliott Leyton –Photos by Greg Locke Hope in Hell: Inside the World of Doctors Without Borders –by: Dan Bortolotti

Bibliography "About Us." Medecins Sans Frontieres: Doctors Without Borders. MSF-USA Association, Mar Bortolotti, Dan. Hope in Hell: Inside the World of Doctors Without Borders. 1. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, "Doctors without Borders, USA." Charity Navigator. Charity Navigatior, Web. 23 Mar Leyton, Elliot. Touched by Fire: Doctors Without Borders in a Third World Crisis. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1998.