Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders II – Pharma Veterans’ Blog Post #515 by Asrar Qureshi

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders III – Pharma Veterans’ Blog Post #516 by Asrar Qureshi

Dear Colleagues!  This is Pharma Veterans’ Blog Post #516. Pharma Veterans welcome sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here.

Continued from Previous……

The most difficult work carried out by MSF is in the areas which are afflicted by wars, conflicts, disasters, and humanitarian crises. Following can be found under the ‘Crisis Settings’.

Epidemics and Pandemics

COVID is the current pandemic which has affected the entire world, developed, and developing both. Water borne diseases like Typhoid, Cholera, hepatitis A, are a regular feature in many parts of the world. Viral infections like Hepatitis C, E, are endemic in several countries, while Ebola, Meningitis keep recurring. Malaria/Dengue are also recurring epidemics. Millions of people die every year due to these diseases, all of which are treatable and preventable. MSF is providing medical and preventative assistance against these in several locations.

Natural Disasters

Earthquakes, Floods, Landslide, Cyclones, Typhoons, are a recurring more frequently and aggressively due to ‘climate change’, as it is called to divert attention. Umair Haq says, the term “Climate Change’ was coined and popularized to impress as if it was something which was happening by itself, and not due to human tampering. Whatever the name, natural disasters are coming to all countries. The difference is that resourceful countries manage these while resourceless countries are completely devastated. MSF tries to reach at all such places where assistance is urgently needed.

Refugees, IDPs and People on the Move

The biggest humanitarian crises are developing in this category. Close to home, we know Afghan refugees who came in millions and stayed for decades. Thousands of people in Pakistan were internally displaced due to conflicts and military operations in the north and south. Millions of people are fleeing to save their lives from conflict areas. Rohingya crisis is still not settled and many more are in various African regions. The other fallout of crises is that the means of earning and living become scarcer and therefore people are forced to move to other countries for better prospects. Latin America is under huge displacement from poorer countries to better ones.

Social Violence and Exclusion

 People may be subjected to violence and exclusion due to their religious, social, political orientation. It is endemic in nature and may be unpredictable in occurrence and intensity. This is happening in many parts of the world.

War and Conflict

Many countries are currently embroiled in wars and armed conflicts. Innocent citizens become collateral damage; they lose their homes, their means of income and other sources of subsistence. Medical care is urgently needed in all such areas.

The MSF reaches most of these crisis settings. Medical assistance is provided through local teams which are supported by the center. 

MSF is not the only organization doing such work, nor it is the largest one. Red Cross is probably the biggest and has international support and recognition. There are several other international and local/regional organizations serving the mankind. 

In the last part, we shall look at some objections against MSF and close the topic.

To be Continued…...

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