Hi Friend,

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are still on the ground responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing crucial support to people in need while keeping existing medical projects up and running in more than 70 countries. More than one year into the global pandemic, what does responding to COVID-19 look like for people who have been there since the beginning?

See what these three dedicated MSF staff members had to say:

“I have good memories of the discharge of a patient who was admitted to the ICU. . . . She had underlying medical conditions as well as COVID-19, and that complicated her case.

Finally, when she was well enough to leave the hospital, we organised her departure. In a wheelchair, she was surprised by the ICU and ward staff applauding her in the corridor and, at the end of it, by the sight of her husband who was waiting for her with a bouquet of flowers.

Restoring her to life helped to restore hope to the doctors there, who had witnessed devastatingly high mortality rates throughout the pandemic.”

“The strongest challenge that we are facing is related to stigma. . . .

Another challenge is misinformation.

The role of the counselors is to educate the patient and talk about what COVID-19 is, so that they are able to share their experiences, feelings, fears and anxieties. During the counseling process, we run educational interactive sessions using games and videos.”

“During the pandemic, we made some changes in the clinic. . . . I remember when a mother asked me to hold her baby and I refused, she felt very bad, as if she was being treated differently because of her condition.

But then I reminded her about the changes in lifestyle that have come with [COVID-19], and repeated the messages about the importance of protecting each other.

In the end she came to terms with it and understood that it was not me inventing things, but that life has indeed changed.”

These three staff members exemplify the passion, expertise, and dedication that MSF teams bring around the world. We couldn’t be more proud of the work our teams are doing, or more grateful for the ongoing support of folks like you, Friend.

If our staff members’ stories have inspired you, please consider making a gift to Doctors Without Borders now.