Gwoza, a garrison town in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, is home to 60,000 people, many of whom have been displaced from their homes by the conflict. Living conditions are difficult: there is little humanitarian aid, and frequent clashes take place between the military and armed groups. Many people in Gwoza have witnessed acts of violence or lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes as they fled in search of safety. Among those victim to this violence are children, many of whom arrived in Gwoza alone.

Australian Hazel Singh worked on an assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2019. She reflects on her role as a Human Resources Manager, helping staff in our projects to improve their skills, knowledge and experience.

Staying mentally well is important for everyone, including our staff. They often face pressure from working long hours in emergency or unpredictable settings, and observe high levels of suffering. Whether they are far from home and away from their usual support networks, or working within their own community, they need safe spaces and strategies to stay healthy and well.

For decades, Médecins Sans Frontières has provided comprehensive mental health support to people around the world. From psychological first aid in an emergency setting, to mental health services alongside care for pre-existing conditions, to standalone psychosocial and psychiatric care, here are some of the ways our teams are responding. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for mental health and epilepsy patients in Liberia, leading to greater social isolation and, in some cases, disrupting treatment.

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. 

Around 12,000 people were forced to evacuate Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos after fire completely destroyed the camp on 8 and 10 September.

Despite calls to end the containment of refugees and asylum seekers on Lesbos, the Greek government is currently constructing a new camp to house those left without shelter. The Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team in Lesbos continues to provide care to people, while urging authorities to immediately evacuate them to safety.

As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, the danger of patients waiting too long to seek treatment is all too clear to MSF staff responding to the crisis.

Dr Rachel Lister, an intensive care doctor from New Zealand, spent six weeks working in MSF’s COVID-19 treatment centre in Aden. She highlights three patients' stories that had a profound impact on her during her field placement in Yemen.

One month after the explosion ripped through Beirut, MSF teams continue to provide aid to those injured and left homeless in a country that has been battered by crisis. Jonathan Whittall, former MSF emergency coordinator in Beirut and director of MSF’s Analysis Department, answers questions on our response since the explosion on 4 August.