Following Myanmar’s military coup on 1 February, our teams in Myanmar have been working hard to maintain access to those most vulnerable.

Our medical activities are ongoing, and we are committed to continuing our care to those most in need.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways of preventing deadly diseases, saving millions of lives every year around the world. But ensuring that these life-saving medical tools are available where and when they're needed can be difficult. 

As Australia begins rolling out COVID-19 vaccination programs to combat the coronavirus, here are a few things you should know about the vaccines currently available—and about how effective distribution can end the pandemic more quickly for everyone.  

On 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s military staged a coup and took control of the country, once again plunging it into military rule. The military has declared a year-long state of emergency citing the failure of the civilian government to address election irregularities, and has detained key political figures and a number of journalists and political activists. 

Our medical programs are currently still running, but staff movements have been restricted and the situation remains fragile. Our statement below has been prepared by Benoit de Gryse, MSF Operational Manager for Myanmar.

Nurses and midwives provide a vast range of healthcare from prevention to cure, encompassing areas such as health promotion, emergency care, childbirth, neonatal care, and surgical and medical care. With 80 per cent of primary healthcare around the world provided by nurses and midwives, the impact these medical professionals have is far-reaching.  

Here’s a few things you may not know about these essential healthcare workers and the care they provide worldwide. 

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international medical humanitarian organisation. We provide free medical care to millions of people in more than 70 countries around the world. This humanitarian assistance is made possible by the work of our field workers including many from Australia and New Zealand. Each year, MSF Australia sends around 200 Australians and New Zealanders on overseas field assignments to provide medical-humanitarian aid.

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as keeping your physical health in check. It requires careful attention and action. This is becoming increasingly difficult today, with the additional pressure of adjusting to the uncertainties brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. 

As the global coronavirus pandemic reshapes lives around the world, the health needs of children in low income settings continue to overwhelm already stretched health systems. The impact of COVID-19 on children is twofold: the direct effects of the disease itself, and the indirect consequences. 

The protests against police brutality towards black people in the United States keep on reverberating around the world and shining a light on the deadly impact of racism globally, including in Australia and New Zealand.  

So, let us start off this editorial by writing the most important three words you will read here—black lives matter. Full stop. They matter in South Sudan, South Africa, they matter in Australia, they matter in the USA. This is a fact without borders. 

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) promotes a working environment free of harassment and abuse. Our leadership has unequivocally committed to reinforce mechanisms and procedures to prevent and address abuse and harassment. All staff are expected to abide by the MSF movement’s Behavioural Commitments and our guiding principles as stipulated in our Charter.