Governmental Seminar
Speaker: Isaac Chikwanha (Deputy Program Manager and Medical Advisor for MSF projects in Armenia, Cambodia, Papua Nes Guinea, Philippines and China., Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF))
Title: Humanitarian Action Under Fire.
Date&Time: 31 Jul. (Thu.) 2014, 13：15-14：45
Venue: Lecture room1 (3F), Medical Education & Library Building
Abstract:
Medecin Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international emergency humanitarian medical organization operating in more than 70 countries. More than half the projects are in unstable contexts with sometimes challenging security considerations due to armed conflict. Security of the MSF field workers, both international and national, and the security of the patients under MSF care is of paramount importance and all precautions are taken to safeguard but it is never an easy decision because it is precisely because of these armed conflicts that an organization like MSF is needed to answer to the medical needs of the affected communities. Armed conflicts result in casualties not only amongst the warring parties but also the civilian population. Populations are displaced often into areas with no access to food, shelter and medical care leading to disease outbreaks, malnutrition and unfortunate deaths. Aid workers are not usually targeted but rather caught in the cross fire but recently, there have been more cases of direct attacks on aid workers. It's a tough choice, you need a heart of gold and nerves of steel.
