Doctors Without Borders

Doctors without borders is another one of Ann Curry’s suggested links. Again, like many of the other organizations she has linked to, this is a very large organization that works elsewhere, but also in Sudan. Doctors without borders is “an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries.”

Founded in 1971, the organization has only grown. They get a lot of attention from the press and participate in many public events as to bring attention and funds to their cause. Thousands of workers are assisting in countries of need.

The “About Us” page goes into more depth about how they run their program financially and in the field.

Throughout the website there are many links and many news updates as to what’s happening around the world and also what their organization is doing to help.



There is a list (picture to the left) in which anyone can go to a specific country doctors without borders is assisting in and see the kind of work being done there. Unlike the other websites however, there was also an option to “select an issue,” i.e. AIDS/HIV.

The page for Sudan had recent news and also discussed what was happening in the different areas of Darfur. They called their work there “of the most significant operations in the world for (doctors without borders)”



They discuss the decrease in international aide to the area. In Northern Darfur there has been a tremendous decrease in security and the availability to treat health issues, including the large amount of Malaria cases, is becoming more and more impossible.

The case is similar in Western Darfur. As we have discussed, the bordering area of Chad is a treacherous place to be. This page discusses the lack of medical attention and aid from other organizations but also discusses what their organization is trying to do to help.

They also discuss the work they are doing in Southern Darfur, especially in Kalma, the largest city of displaced persons, around 90,000.

This article really brought my attention to the medial care we are so easily offered and I think take for granted. While I don’t agree with the current policy of health care in the United States, I personally can’t complain. My father, a doctor, has always been able to provide us with the best of the best health care plans. I know this is not the case for all in the US, but from my point of view, we are pretty damn lucky. How many times have you heard of someone in the US having Malaria? And if someone does it’s on the national news as such a rarity. The vaccinations we have today are amazing, but when was the last time you woke up and said to yourself, “I am so glad I was vaccinated as a child!” I personally have never done it. With everything else the people of Darfur have to worry about, it saddens me even more so to find yet another thing they have to worry about that we take advantage of every day.