What is Doctors Without Borders/Médecins
Sans Frontières?

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), is the world's largest independent international medical relief agency aiding victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and others who lack health care due to geographic remoteness or ethnic marginalization.

The organization operates independently of all governments, institutions, political, economic, or religious influences. It depends on volunteer health professionals in fulfilling its mission. Largely supported by private donors, the organization is able to maintain great flexibility and total independence in its choice of operations.

Doctors Without Borders was established in 1971 by a group of physicians determined to offer emergency assistance wherever wars and man-made disasters occur. Its guiding principles are laid down in a charter to which all members of the organization subscribe.

In accordance with universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance, Doctors Without Borders observes strict impartiality and demands full and unhindered freedom in performing its functions. Doctors Without Borders has a wide range of expertise and proven techniques and strategies of intervention. The organization is able to effectively pool the logistics and human resources necessary to provide rapid and efficient aid.

When medical assistance is not enough to save lives, Doctors Without Borders will speak out against human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law that its teams witness in the course of providing medical relief.

Doctors Without Borders is an international organization, with offices in 18 countries. It sends more than 2,000 volunteers, of more than 45 nationalities, to some 80 countries annually.