All articles tagged with #doctors without borders
Doctors Without Borders has permanently closed its emergency center in Port-au-Prince due to ongoing gang violence, which has also led to the closure of over 60% of the city's health facilities and displaced 1.4 million people, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
Doctors Without Borders has permanently closed its emergency care center in Port-au-Prince due to ongoing gang violence, which has also led to the closure of over 60% of the city's health facilities and displaced 1.4 million people, severely impacting healthcare access in Haiti.
A journalist aboard the Doctors Without Borders rescue ship Geo Barents in the Mediterranean describes the challenging and inspiring work of rescuing migrants, highlighting a moment of joy as dolphins swim alongside the ship, symbolizing life's persistence amid hardship.
Gangs in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, launched an attack on the upscale community of Petionville, leading to clashes with residents and police. The Viv Ansanm group, led by former police officer Jimmy Chérizier, was responsible for the attack, which resulted in at least 28 gang members killed. In response to escalating violence, Doctors Without Borders suspended operations in the capital, citing threats from police. The UN and the U.S. are seeking international support to address the crisis, as gangs control 85% of the city.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended its operations in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, due to threats and violence from local police, including death and rape threats towards its staff. This decision follows a deadly attack on an MSF ambulance and highlights the severe security challenges in the city, where gang violence has led to the closure of most medical facilities. MSF, a crucial healthcare provider in the region, will continue some services outside the capital but cannot operate under current threats.
Two patients in a Doctors Without Borders ambulance were killed by a vigilante group and police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The ambulance, carrying three wounded patients and aid staff, was stopped by police before reaching a hospital managed by the aid group.
Doctors Without Borders' chief slammed the US and the UN Security Council for complicity in the suffering inflicted by Israeli forces in Gaza, denouncing the veto of a ceasefire resolution and highlighting the devastating conditions aid workers are facing. The head of MSF described the horrifying impact on children and the erosion of humanitarian principles, calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire while criticizing the US for obstructing efforts. Health care workers have reported unimaginable conditions and urgent need for a ceasefire, with hundreds of attacks on health facilities and workers by Israeli forces.
Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least 67 Palestinians, including in areas designated as civilian refuge zones, with a hospital in Deir al-Balah receiving 44 bodies. Doctors Without Borders reported two deaths in a shelter housing their staff, and the ongoing conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with over 29,000 Palestinians estimated to have been killed.
Thousands of people, including children, are seeking shelter in an overwhelmed hospital in North Kivu province, DRC, as fighting escalates between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army. Medical facilities are receiving an influx of war-wounded patients, and at least 150,000 people, including 78,000 children, have been forced to flee their homes in the past week. The United Nations has called on the M23 group to cease its offensive, while the UN peacekeeping mission is set to complete its withdrawal from the country this year. The conflict has caused a humanitarian disaster, forcing over one million people from their homes since March 2022.
Doctors Without Borders has reported that Nasser Hospital, the largest remaining medical facility in Gaza, is unable to provide critical care due to Israeli bombardment and the encirclement of Khan Younis by the Israeli army. The hospital, which was also sheltering thousands of displaced Palestinians, is now facing dire conditions with almost 350 patients stuck inside. Doctors Without Borders has called for an end to the attacks on healthcare facilities, emphasizing the urgent need for medical care for the wounded.
At least 400 women and children have been raped in tents set up specifically to abuse migrants in the dangerous Darien Gap, according to a report by Doctors Without Borders. The youngest victims were 11, 12, and 16 years old. Migrants crossing the gap, hoping to reach the US, face kidnappings and rape in tents set up for that purpose. Armed groups demand money from migrants, subjecting those who can't pay to abuse ranging from unwanted touching to rape. One rape occurs every three hours, and many victims don't come forward. Costa Rica has declared a state of emergency as it struggles to handle the influx of migrants. Doctors Without Borders is calling for safe passage and access to medical care for migrants.
American nurse Emily Callahan, who volunteered with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, shared her experience of treating patients amid the escalating violence in the region. Despite the dangers, medical staff in Gaza are choosing to stay behind to provide urgently needed care. Callahan described the challenges of performing emergency surgeries while hearing shelling and airstrikes outside. After being evacuated to safety, Callahan is raising awareness about the crisis in Gaza, highlighting the shortages of basic supplies and the loss of lives among medical workers and civilians.
All 22 staff members of Doctors Without Borders International have successfully left Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, while a new team is ready to enter Gaza to support the humanitarian and medical response. The Israeli military claims to have breached Hamas' defensive frontline in Northern Gaza and is expanding its fighting into the strip. Several countries, including France, Austria, and the UK, have confirmed the safe departure of their citizens from Gaza. Nearly half of Gaza's hospitals are out of service due to bombardment and a fuel shortage, threatening the lives of cancer patients and causing the healthcare system to face collapse. The US State Department is not assessing whether Israel has committed war crimes, but emphasizes the expectation that Israel complies with the laws of war. Two American physicians have left Gaza and are now in Egypt. The Palestinian Red Crescent has received 55 trucks of humanitarian aid at the Rafah crossing, while the White House avoids direct criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) condemns the mass killing of civilians by Hamas and the indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Gaza by Israel. They call for an immediate end to the bloodshed, establishment of safe spaces, and safe passage for trapped civilians. The siege imposed by Israel has worsened the chronic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving medical infrastructure weakened and supplies scarce. MSF teams are witnessing unprecedented destruction and are struggling to provide medical care. They urge the protection of civilians, infrastructure, and healthcare facilities, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid to prevent further loss of life.
Doctors Without Borders in Gaza reported that 100% of the patients they treated in the last 24 hours were children, highlighting the devastating impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the most vulnerable. The ongoing blockade has severely limited access to essential medical supplies, exacerbating the already dire situation. Relief organizations are struggling to provide aid, with shortages of water, electricity, fuel, and medical equipment. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 260 children and is taking a toll on the mental health of children and civilians caught in the crossfire. The long-term efforts to repair the damages in Gaza will be extensive.