MSF worldwide work highlights (22/10 – 4/11)

The Union World Conference on Lung Health was held in Paris. MSF urged for a new approach to developing and pricing new tuberculosis (TB) medicines, so that the global TB response can deliver the new treatment combinations needed to close the deadly treatment gap for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

Meanwhile, GAVI Alliance commenced its review meeting in Stockholm. MSF proposed changes in four key areas to help reduce the number of children not benefiting from vaccination, including making GAVI prices available for humanitarian actors, pushing harder to lower vaccine prices, extending vaccination to children above one year old and incentivizing development of vaccines that don’t need to be kept cold the entire time.

 

In areas around the towns of Bossangoa and Bouca, a peak in violence has caused tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The displaced are living in makeshift camps with inadequate shelter, food, water and sanitation. MSF is struggling to respond to the medical needs in the area.

 

MSF launched its TB treatment programme nearly three years ago in Buenaventura, where TB cases are three times higher than in the rest of Colombia. It includes a multi-disciplinary treatment approach that combines medical, psychological and social support. The team monitors 15 public and private healthcare facilities that treat DR-TB patients. 

 

Clashes in Orientale Province forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. MSF calls on all parties to the conflict to respect the civilian populations and integrity of medical facilities. The level of humanitarian aid is far from sufficient, while MSF is providing medical consultations, operations and Cesarean deliveries in Geti, as well as distributing drinking water and building latrines for the displaced populations.

 

An epidemic of haemorrhagic dengue fever is spreading through San Pedro Sula, with more than three times as many cases as last year. The disease can be deadly with children most at risk. MSF has launched an emergency response by supporting the health authorities in the main public hospital. The team treated more than 560 children in the first two months, as well as donated drugs and medical supplies for treatment of adults affected.

 

The outgoing MSF International President Dr. Unni Karunakara is cycling over 5,000 km across India, from Srinagar to Delhi. Along the way, he will stop in 65 cities, towns and villages, speak at 10 medical colleges, hold Q&As at 9 film screenings and meet other cycling enthusiasts.  

 

MSF rolled out the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission Option B+ (PMTCT B+) programme in February, aiming to place 2,000 HIV-positive pregnant women on treatment over the next four years, as soon as possible after their diagnosis. So far more than 200 women have joined the programme.

 

Fighting, shelling and aerial attacks in the district of Al Safira in Aleppo province have left at least 76 dead, 450 wounded and 130,000 displaced to the north, where reception capacities are saturated. Health facilities in the province are targeted, making civilians very difficult in accessing healthcare. MSF urges the United Nations and all countries with influence in the conflict to show the determination to get rid of the political and administrative obstacles to provision of aid in areas not controlled by the government.