“Our teams see trapped, vulnerable people in inhumane conditions at the US-Mexico border who embark on the route through the desert out of sheer desperation,” said Dr. Belen Ramirez, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) project coordinator.
Earlier this year, a small MSF team worked alongside Humane Borders, Samaritans, No More Deaths, and other local nonprofit groups to assess people’s medical needs along the US-Mexico border near the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. Today, we’re resuming our work supporting these groups to bring medical humanitarian aid to migrants and asylum seekers in the region.
Read more about MSF’s work with local organizations in Arizona, made possible by your support.
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“The local groups here are doing incredible work to help people on the move,” said Dr. Belen Ramirez. “We are here to support them and lend some more urgency to their message: This is a humanitarian issue that demands more resources.”
Every year, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers cross the remote Sonoran Desert on foot, often without shelter or basic services, and several hours away from the nearest hospital or medical aid. People on the move face rough terrain and extreme weather conditions—freezing nighttime temperatures in the winter and blazing hot sun and rain in the summer months. These intense conditions can be fatal.
MSF is supporting local organizations in the region to identify the current needs on the ground. Our teams are helping supply sanitation and hydration points for clean water, providing support for basic wilderness first aid training, and assisting mental health providers with psychological first aid training. We are also supporting social work, health promotion, and addressing sexual violence.
For over a decade, MSF has provided care to people on the move through Central America and around the world, thanks to our global movement of supporters. |
Sincerely,
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières USA
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