Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders (also known as Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF) is an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organization (NGO) of French origin best known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases.

History

Doctors Without Borders was founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors and journalists who sought to expand accessibility to medical care across national boundaries and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. To that end, the organization emphasizes "independence and impartiality", and explicitly precludes political, economic, or religious factors in its decision making. For these reasons, it limits the amount of funding received from governments or intergovernmental organization. These principles have allowed Doctors Without Borders to speak freely with respect to acts of war, corruption, or other hindrances to medical care or human well-being.

Activities

Doctors Without Borders is known for its humanitarian work, but it also runs a number of projects that are not strictly medical or humanitarian in nature, such as water sanitation projects and distribution of cooking stoves. Other activities include training local personnel in the event that Doctors Without Borders leaves the area, and the rehabilitation of hospitals and clinics that have been damaged during a conflict.

Recognition

Doctors Without Borders was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 in recognition of its members' continued efforts to provide medical care in acute crises, as well as raising international awareness of potential humanitarian disasters.

Criticism

Despite overall praise, Doctors Without Borders has been the subject of criticism. These criticisms include a perceived Western bias, a tendency towards publicity, and a lack of transparency in their decision-making processes.

See also

• International humanitarian law
• Public health
• Global health

External links

• Official website

Doctors Without Borders Resources
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