About Medecins Sans Frontieres (UK)

In over 80 countries world-wide, MSF provides both life-saving emergency relief and longer-term assistance to make basic healthcare services available to the most vulnerable or excluded communities.

It remains scrupulously independent of governments, religious and economic powers.

MSF UK is one of 18 offices and operational centres in Europe, America and Australasia, pooling funding, expertise and staff for field operations. At any one time, there are some 1,200 expatriate aid workers in the field, most of them volunteers.

MSF's aim is to provide impartial assistance, on the basis of need alone, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, creed or political affiliation. To maintain its independence from political interference, MSF relies on donations from individuals around the world for at least 70 per cent of its income. The private funding gives MSF the freedom to respond to the greatest needs as fast as possible.

As medical professionals, MSF volunteers have a duty to try and protect their patients from violence and abuse. MSF often chooses to speak out about gross violations of humanitarian law against civilians in conflict, refugees, unaccompanied children and other vulnerable groups, in an attempt to bring abuse to world attention.

The activities of the UK section of MSF include: recruitment of skilled personnel for services overseas, fundraising from the general public and the British government and public information/campaigning work.

Médecins Sans Frontières was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize.

Our history

1971
A group of French doctors founds Médecins Sans Frontières - the first non-military, non-governmental organisation to specialise in emergency medical assistance.

1972
MSF intervenes in Nicaragua following an earthquake that devastates the capital, Managua.

1975
MSF undertakes its first mission in a war zone when a team goes to Vietnam.

1976
MSF works in Beirut, Lebanon, in the midst of the country's civil war.
MSF begins its first major refugee programme, caring for refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia who have fled to Thailand.

1978
MSF works in refugee camps in Western Sahara, Djibouti, Sudan and Zaire.

1980
MSF begins work in Afghanistan.
MSF becomes an international organisation after opening it first operational center outside France, in Belgium.

1984
MSF launches an extensive feeding programme for the victims of famine in Ethiopia.

1985
In Ethiopia, MSF denounces the forced migration of civilians and the diversion of humanitarian aid. The charity is expelled from the country.

1987
The first MSF aid programmes are launched in Western Europe, beginning with France.

1988
MSF raises the alarm to save the Dinka people in Sudan from famine.

1989
Following the collapse of the iron curtain, health programmes are set up in Eastern Europe.

1990
MSF brings assistance to inaccessible areas of Liberia.

1991
In the aftermath of the Gulf War, teams provide assistance to Kurdish refugees in several countries. MSF aids victims of civil war in Somalia and launches a mission in the war zone of the former Yugoslavia. The organisation is awarded the European Human Rights Award and the Philadelphia Liberty Medal.

1992
MSF alerts the international community and increases its activity as civil war and famine decimate the people of Somalia. MSF denounces crimes against humanity in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

1993
MSF denounces the actions of UN troops in Somalia. In Burundi, vicious killings following an attempted coup prompt a refugee crisis. MSF volunteers give aid to 600,000 refugees.

1994
MSF calls on the international community to intervene as genocide engulfs Rwanda, taking the lives of one million people. Operating in extremely difficult circumstances, MSF treats the wounded. In besieged Kuito, Angola, MSF works to bring relief to about 300,000 people.

1995
MSF is the only international presence during the fall of Srebrenica, Bosnia. In Chechnya, MSF assists victims of the conflict.

1996
Four and a half million people are vaccinated against meningitis in Nigeria. MSF opposes regroupment camps in Burundi. As civil war breaks out in Zaire (later renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo), MSF tries to help the many thousands of Rwandan refugees.

1997
MSF fights to gain access to Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of whom are massacred and die of starvation and disease. MSF begins work in North Korea, one of the few international organisations to gain access to the country. In Afghanistan, MSF pushes for a reversal of the Taleban government edict excluding women from getting emergency health care.

1998
An emergency relief operation is begun for famine victims in southern Sudan and denounces "food aid as a weapon of war". Late in the year, a massive hurricane wreaks destruction in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Over 170 volunteers are sent to assist the victims.

1999
MSF responds to a human wave of refugees fleeing Kosovo and Serbia during NATO airstrikes. After the bombing, MSF is the first humanitarian aid organisation to begin work in Kosovo. In Angola, civil war resumes after a fragile peace agreement falls apart. Bringing relief to Angolans remains a priority for MSF. As East Timor votes for independence from Indonesia, MSF brings relief to people displaced following a wave of pro-Indonesia violence. On the same day that MSF launches an international campaign to increase poor peoples' access to essential medicines, MSF is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

2000
MSF responds to massive flooding in Mozambique. Fighting in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, forces most aid agencies to pull out, whilst MSF's surgical team kept the main hospital functioning. Teams working in Chechnya protested to the international community about the behaviour of the Russian military towards civilians there. MSF also pushed for greater attention to be paid to the 'forgotten' crises in Congo, Angola and Sri Lanka.
Great strides were made with the Access to Essential Medicines Campaign in terms of shifting public opinion, political positions and even business decisions: the big pharmaceutical companies responded to the growing public pressure by starting to reduce prices for the developing world.
In October an outbreak of the deadly haemorrhagic fever Ebola was confirmed in northern Uganda. MSF was a key part of the international response which treated patients and contained the spread of the disease.