About MSF DK

 

   

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid in more than 70 countries to people affected by armed conflict; epidemics; natural or man-made disasters; or exclusion from health care.

In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centers for malnourished children and offers mental health care. When needed, MSF also constructs wells, dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting.

Through longer-term programs, MSF treats patients with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, and HIV/AIDS and provides medical and psychological care to marginalized groups such as street children.

MSF's Charter

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is a private international association. The association is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to all other professions which might help in achieving its aims.   All of its members agree to honor the following principles: Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions. Médecins Sans Frontières observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions. Members undertake to respect their professional code of ethics and to maintain complete independence from all political, economic or religious powers. As volunteers, members understand the risks and dangers of the missions they carry out and make no claim for themselves or their assigns for any form of compensation other than that which the association might be able to afford them.

MSF was born in the early 1970s out of the exasperation of a group of French doctors who worked in desperate conditions in the Biafra War (1967-1970).

They were determined to create a movement to deliver independent humanitarian aid wherever it was needed, and one that would speak out about the plight of the victims it helped.

Thirty years later, the MSF movement was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize.

MSF sends out more than 4.800 doctors, surgeons, nurses, psychologists, midwifes, laboratory technicians, logisticians, water and sanitation experts and administrators each year. Around 50 of them come from Denmark.

MSF Denmark was founded in 1993 by Camilla Bredholt who had been working in Albania and Iraq.

Apart from recruiting qualified personnel MSF Denmark raise funds for our emergency aid. Our funds are donated by private persons, companies and funds. A part of funds also come from DANIDA Danish International Development Assistance which is a part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Our Department of Communication informs about the crises and catastrophes that need attention from the world - also the overlooked crises. The department has the contact to medias.

An accounts department and a reception are also part of MSF DK as are a lot of volunteers who every day handles a number of various tasks.