Doctors Without Borders: Activist Organization

Doctors Without Borders: Activist Organization

Human rights will never overcome human wrongs unless determined petitions for change are initiated. One of the most effective methods of coordinating these demands is through organizations of like-minded people. When individuals connect with others for a common cause, their demands are much more likely to be heard. Doctors Without Borders is an organization that has done what a single individual cannot do. Collectively, they have experienced injustice and have developed strength and influence by combining efforts and resources. This combined action has given a voice to those who could not be heard. The Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov, explained that one emotion which unites people is hate. When humans experience other emotions such as affection, amity and admiration they bring people together, but never with a passion for change as that of hate. Through examination of the history of the organization, its motives and development can be described by participation in different countries. Although they have impacted a large number of countries and continue to do so today, their particular activities in Sierra Leone and Haiti explain the different approaches and campaigns used by Doctors Without Borders.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is a global medical humanitarian organization, created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. However, only about one fourth of the organization's members are doctors. A larger part of this organization are various types of volunteers such as nurses, lab technicians, administrative staff, logisticians, and engineers who provide a variety of skills and knowledge to these countries. Today, this organization provides a public forum yet remains independent and neutral to over 60 countries. "Doctors Without Borders sends more than 3,000 volunteers annually to conflict zones, refugee camps and anywhere else in the world where medical care is urgently needed" (Bortolotti, 12). These countries are threatened by violence, sickness, poverty, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, neglect and a lack of supplies and medications needed to survive. Doctors without Borders refuses to remain silent and speaks out against injustice and neglect that they observe in countries. The organization has even challenged the government. These challenges to the system relate to abuse and misuse of medical needs and a plea for the advancement of medical care and technology needed to preserve human rights and dignity of all those afflicted.

This organization was created after a group of physicians and journalist witnessed the appalling conditions in Biafra, located in south-eastern Nigeria. While working with Red Cross, doctors were not allowed to speak out against the inhumane treatment witnessed. They were expected to remain neutral to the war and circumstances observed. This was not a case the group of physicians and journalist were willing to accept. They could not stand by and remain silent while witnessing a humanitarian crisis. Dr. Bernard Kouchner returned from Biafra and broke his silence on what he witnessed. He openly judged the Nigerian government for the victims of the circumstances in that country. This led him to create a new humanitarian group that would provide medical care and education to those in need all over the world. The newly formed group made a commitment that they would speak out against any witnessed humanitarian crisis. In 1971, these doctors joined forces with any another humanitarian organization called, Secours Medical Francais (French Medical Relief) which was started by Raymond Borel and his colleagues at the French medical journal (Morley, 10). The vision of these men led to the formation of a group that desired putting the patient ahead of government policies, and on December 20, 1971 their desire to provide care without borders led to the development of the private, non-profit organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Today, this organization continues to thrive and touch many countries through the generous donations of others. The Doctors Without Borders 2009 annual report states, "Our job is to use the resources you have so generously entrusted us with--$133.9 million in 2009 alone--to establish structures in which patients can receive the care they need regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, or affiliation" (Doctors Without Borders).

In the country of Sierra Leone, Doctors Without Borders were working within a war zone. The area was plagued with disease and the organization had been involved with this area since 1986, treating cholera, and in 1989, treating the refugees that crossed the border to escape the civil war in Liberia. Although the war ended in 2002 the humanitarian crisis was still prevalent. Involvement in Sierra Leone was a case of a long term mission to help the neediest people. It allowed them to build hospitals and clinics and provide care in refugee camps. "MSF's first job in a camp for refugees, or displaced people, was measuring their nutritional health. We look for acute malnutrition-people who are wasting away because they do not have enough food to eat" (Morley, 49). One of the biggest struggles with participation in this organization is what these volunteers witness. By being present in these refugee camps, in Sierra Leone, they are protecting the innocent lying in their beds from being raped, robbed, and starved. According to Morris, "often people do not want us in their region because they know we'll talk about what we see: starvation or the routine kidnapping of refugees to use as hostages" (Leyton, 180). Today, because of the extraordinary efforts of Doctors Without Borders, progress has been made and authorities in Sierra Leone have implemented programs to provide access to better health care for the neediest people in the country.

Another country impacted by Doctors Without Borders is Haiti. Endeavors in this country have been named one of the most successful efforts by any human rights organization in a crisis. This relationship was of interest to me as I spent time in Haiti in February of 2012 on a medical mission. I witnessed the poverty and starvation first hand. Although I had seen all of the television shows and heard the media reports, nothing could prepare me for what I saw. To look into the eyes of a starving worm-infested child, or have a mother beg me to take her son, are memories that will always be imprinted on my heart and soul. I witnessed some of the greatest suffering still present in this earthquake ridden society. Haiti was the largest emergency rapid intervention ever used by the Doctors Without Borders organization. According to the Doctors Without Borders website it was reported that "although MSF was in the country before the earthquake hit, the organization