en ع
Back to main menu

About us

Who We Are

Learn about our mission, our charter and principles, and who we are.

Learn more
How we work

See what triggers an intervention and how supply and logistics allow our teams to respond quickly.

Learn more
How we're run

Discover our governance and what it means to be an association. Find a quick visual guide to our offices around the world.

Learn more
Reports and financials

Read through our annual financial and activity reports, and find out about where our funds come from and how they are spent.

Learn more

What we do

Médecins Sans Frontières brings medical humanitarian assistance to victims of conflict, natural disasters, epidemics or healthcare exclusion.

View all topics Activities by country

Where we work

In more than 70 countries, Médecins Sans Frontières provides medical humanitarian assistance to save lives and ease the suffering of people in crisis situations.

View all countries

MSF Websites

A Global Network
Our offices around the world
Our offices around the world
Other Sites
View Resource Centre
Access Campaign

We set up the MSF Access Campaign in 1999 to push for access to, and the development of, life-saving and life-prolonging medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for people in our programmes and beyond.

GO TO SITE
CRASH

Based in Paris, CRASH conducts and directs studies and analysis of MSF actions. They participate in internal training sessions and assessment missions in the field.

GO TO SITE
UREPH

Based in Geneva, UREPH (or Research Unit) aims to improve the way MSF projects are implemented in the field and to participate in critical thinking on humanitarian and medical action.

GO TO SITE
ARHP

Based in Barcelona, ARHP documents and reflects on the operational challenges and dilemmas faced by the MSF field teams.

GO TO SITE
MSF Analysis

Based in Brussels, MSF Analysis intends to stimulate reflection and debate on humanitarian topics organised around the themes of migration, refugees, aid access, health policy and the environment in which aid operates.

GO TO SITE
MSF Supply

This logistical and supply centre in Brussels provides storage of and delivers medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

GO TO SITE
MSF Logistique

This supply and logistics centre in Bordeaux, France, provides warehousing and delivery of medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

GO TO SITE
Amsterdam Procurement Unit

This logistical centre in Amsterdam purchases, tests, and stores equipment including vehicles, communications material, power supplies, water-processing facilities and nutritional supplements.

GO TO SITE
Brazilian Medical Unit

BRAMU specialises in neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue and Chagas, and other infectious diseases. This medical unit is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

GO TO SITE
MSF Medical Guidelines

Our medical guidelines are based on scientific data collected from MSF’s experiences, the World Health Organization (WHO), other renowned international medical institutions, and medical and scientific journals.

GO TO SITE
Epicentre

Providing epidemiological expertise to underpin our operations, conducting research and training to support our goal of providing medical aid in areas where people are affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or excluded from health care.

GO TO SITE
Evaluation Units

Evaluation Units have been established in Vienna, Stockholm, and Paris, assessing the potential and limitations of medical humanitarian action, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our medical humanitarian work.

GO TO SITE
LGBTQI+ Inclusion in Health Settings

MSF works with LGBTQI+ populations in many settings over the last 25-30 years. LGBTQI+ people face healthcare disparities with limited access to care and higher disease rates than the general population.

GO TO SITE
LUXOR

The Luxembourg Operational Research (LuxOR) unit coordinates field research projects and operational research training, and provides support for documentation activities and routine data collection.

GO TO SITE
MSF Academy for Healthcare

To upskill and provide training to locally-hired MSF staff in several countries, MSF has created the MSF Academy for Healthcare.

GO TO SITE
Humanitarian Law

This Guide explains the terms, concepts, and rules of humanitarian law in accessible and reader-friendly alphabetical entries.

GO TO SITE
MSF Paediatric Days

The MSF Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff, policy makers and academia to exchange ideas, align efforts, inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field.

GO TO SITE
MSF Foundation

The MSF Foundation aims to create a fertile arena for logistics and medical knowledge-sharing to meet the needs of MSF and the humanitarian sector as a whole.

GO TO SITE
DNDi

A collaborative, patients’ needs-driven, non-profit drug research and development organisation that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases, founded in 2003 by seven organisations from around the world.

GO TO SITE
MSF Science Portal

Our digital portal dedicated to sharing the latest medical evidence from our humanitarian activities around the globe.

GO TO SITE
Noma

Noma is a preventable and treatable neglected disease, but 90 per cent of people will die within the first two weeks of infection if they do not receive treatment.

GO TO SITE
TIC

The TIC is aiming to change how MSF works to better meet the evolving needs of our patients.

GO TO SITE
Telemedicine

MSF's telemedicine hub aims to overcome geographic barriers for equitable, accessible, and quality patient care.

GO TO SITE
Sweden Innovation Unit

Launched in 2012, the MSF Sweden Innovation Unit deploys a human-centered approach for promoting a culture of innovation within MSF.

GO TO SITE

MSF hands over its activities and launches new NGO 'SHADE' in Sri Lanka

  • Home
  • Sri Lanka
  • MSF hands over its activities and launches new NGO 'SHADE' in Sri Lanka
Press Release1 March 2004

Colombo - The International medical relief organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has handed over its activities after having worked in Sri Lanka for 18 years.

Upon its departure, on March 1, MSF will launch a new Sri Lankan NGO 'SHADE' which will continue the psychosocial programme in Vavuniya town and district.

The activities in the North, in Mullaitivu district have been handed over to the local medical staff of the Ministry of Health. Following the ceasefire of February 2002, the Wanni region in the north became accessible and allowed the Ministry of Health to start rehabilitating health services, supported by the international community.

"During the war, access to the north was very limited and health care services suffered intensely from that," said Doug Kittle, Head of Mission. "Within these limits, MSF ran a medical programme in Mallavi and Puthukkudiyiruppu.

After the ceasefire, conditions greatly improved. For the first time in years hospitals could be adequately stocked with medical supplies and drugs. Since then health indicators and referral options have improved, enabling MSF to hand over its activities to local health workers."

The new NGO, 'SHADE' will continue the psychosocial care programme in Vavuniya. A lot of people remain traumatized by their war experiences and for them a continuation of psychosocial services is essential.

Many former MSF national staff will work for SHADE. The new organisation will work in collaboration with the District Ministry of Health.

MSF has been working in northern Sri Lanka since 1994 and operated a maternity assistance programme at Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital in Mullaitivu district and a psychosocial support programme in Vavuniya town and district.

An extensive medical assistance programme in Mallavi, including surgical support, closed in April 2002. MSF thanks all current and former staff for their dedication and hard work in bringing health services to the population in the north of Sri Lanka north over the last 18 years. MSF could not have done it without their commitment.