The MSF timeline

2010: Earthquake in Haiti

After a massive earthquake hits Haiti on January 12th, MSF launches one of its largest ever interventions, expanding its projects in the country from three to a high of 26.

MSF treats more than 173,757 patients, and performs more than 11,748 surgeries in the five months that follow the disaster.

 

 

MSF and VII launch ''Starved
For Attention''

MSF and the VII photo agency launch the "Starved For Attention" multimedia campaign on global malnutrition.

The ongoing exhibition, which has already
been staged in the US, Europe, and Africa,
highlighted the often overlooked global
scourge of malnutrition, its lethal impact on children in particular, and some innovative practices employed by MSF and
others to combat it.

 

Flooding submerges Pakistan

MSF responds to massive floods in Pakistan by expanding existing programmes and establishing new ones in areas the organisation hadn’t worked previously.

By December, teams had tended to more than 80,000 patients and distributed nearly 2 million litres of clean water, along with almost 65,000 relief kits.

 

Cholera strikes Haiti

In October, after cholera hits Haiti, MSF mobilises hundreds of staff members to respond, eventually opening more than 50 cholera treatment centers across the country, launching widespread public education campaigns, and tending to more than 100,000 patients—more than 60 percent of all cases in the country—in the months that followed.

 

 

2009: Conflict in Gaza

MSF supports hospitals in Gaza following
an Israeli offensive launched to counter
militants firing crude rockets into Israel.

After a ceasefire is announced, MSF
opens a surgical hospital and also offers
post-operative and psychological care.

 

 

 

 

MSF re-opens programmes in Afghanistan

Following a five year absence (see year 2004), MSF returns to the country and begins supporting hospitals in Kabul and in Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand Province.

 

 

 

 

A difficult year in Sudan

MSF launches emergency interventions in the south in response to escalating violence and outbreaks.

In Darfur, the government expels two sections and four staff members are kidnapped.

Some projects are therefore closed, but MSF nonetheless provides nearly 129,000 consultations and support numerous local health centers.

 

 

2008: Political unrest in Kenya displaces thousands

MSF treats wounded civilians in the shanty towns of the capital, Nairobi, and assists displaced Kenyans in makeshift camps who flee to the west of the country after disputed presidential elections lead to widespread violence.

 

 

 

Fighting cholera in Zimbabwe

After a cholera outbreak started in August,
MSF treats more than 65,000 people
suffering from the disease over the next
10 months while also supporting
government-run facilities with supplies,
staff incentive payments, and treatment
programmes.

 

 

 

Nutritional crisis in Ethiopia

MSF treats more than 72,000 malnourished children as a massive nutritional crisis sweeps the south of the country as a result of drought, poor harvests, and soaring food prices.

 

 

 

 

Violence escalates against
civilians in DRC

MSF runs mobile clinics, surgical
programmes, nutritional programmes,
and provides treatment and counseling
for victims of sexual violence as thousands
of Congolese in North Kivu flee increased
and repeated attacks on their villages by
armed groups.

 

 

Cyclone hits Myanmar

MSF staff already working in the country provides assistance to thousands of people displaced by the cyclone while the government stalls on allowing additional staff to enter the country.

 

 

 

 

2007: A new treatment for
malaria

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative
and the pharmaceutical company
sanofi-aventis launch ASAQ, an
inexpensive and easy-to-use combination
pill.

ASAQ is not patented, allowing for others to produce it at lower cost.

 

 

 

Conflict grips Somalia

Hundreds of thousands of civilians flee the capital, Mogadishu, as the worst fighting in 15 years erupts throughout the city.

Amid great insecurity, MSF sets up a surgical programme in Mogadishu, provides assistance to some of those displaced, and maintains medical programmes in the rest of the country.

 

 

Ebola in Uganda

MSF teams confront an Ebola outbreak in
Uganda. After carrying out a rapid
assessment, MSF set up isolation units
in the Kikyo health center and the
Bundibugyo hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

Crisis unfolds in Chad

More than 150,000 displaced people attempt to survive in makeshift camps in eastern Chad as fighting escalates between government and rebel groups.

MSF scales up its medical programs and calls for a massive international humanitarian response.

 

 

2006: Measles vaccination
campain in DRC

MSF launch a massive measles vaccination
campaign in DRC. In only a few weeks,
MSF teams vaccinate 359,318 children
under the age of five.

 

 

 

 

Massive cholera outbreak in Angola

MSF treats 26,000 people and sends more than 400 tonnes of supplies to respond to a cholera outbreak that spreads from the capital to more than half the country.

 

 

 

 

Surgical care for victims of war in Iraq

Unable to work safely in Iraq, MSF sets up
a reconstructive surgical program in
Amman, Jordan to treat severely
war-wounded patients referred by
medical colleagues in Iraq.

 

 

 

Sri Lanka returns to war

As tens of thousands of people flee renewed fighting in the north of the country, MSF reopens surgical programs in north and central Sri Lanka after facing a series of setbacks from the authorities.

 

 

 

 

2005: Nutritional crisis in
Niger

MSF begin an emergency operation to
treat tens of thousands of children suffering
from severe acute malnutrition in various
parts of Niger, opening seven inpatient
centres and 27 ambulatory centres.

 

 

Asian Tsunami

MSF reacts immediately to the Asian tsunami disaster.

Within 48 hours teams were working on the ground and 32 tonnes of medical, water and sanitation supplies had been dispatched.

Thanks to the huge international response to the tsunami, the worst of the emergency was over by May.

MSF felt able to ask its donors, 99 percent of whom agree, to allow it to
reallocate some of the funds received
to other MSF emergency medical
programmes around the world.

 

Earthquake hits Southeast Asia

MSF runs mobile clinics to reach people trapped in remote villages and sets up inflatable surgical tents to treat thousands of people injured in the massive earthquake that hit the Kashmir region of Pakistan and India.

 

 

Civilians under fire in Haiti's
capital

MSF provides surgical, primary, and mental
health care to people caught in the violence
gripping Port-au-Prince, treating thousands
of gunshot, machete, and knife wounds, and
calls for all armed groups to respect the
safety of civilians.

 

2004: Meeting the emergency in Western Darfur

MSF open feeding centres, clinics and vaccination campaigns in western Sudan (Darfur) and Chad, where hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence face starvation.

 

 

 

Afghanistan withdrawal

MSF pull out completely following the killing
of five of its workers and the continuing
threat to its teams by the Taliban.

 

 

 

 

2003: US invade Iraq

MSF teams remain in Baghdad and challenge the US government on its failure to provide adequate medical care to civilians.

 

 

 

 

 

Civilians suffer in DRC

MSF run dozens of medical programmes
for people caught in the region’s chronic
conflict.

DNDi created

MSF is a founding partner in the new organisation The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative dedicated to developing
medicines for neglected Diseases. 

 

 

Heavy fighting in the Liberian Capital

MSF remain in Monrovia to treat victims during fierce fighting between government and rebel groups.

 

 

 

 

2002 Famine in Angola

MSF run the largest operation in our
history, with 200 international volunteers
and more than 2,000 local staff working
throughout the country.

 

 

 

 

Malaria killing millions in Africa

Faced with skyrocketing resistance to common antimalarials like chloroquine MSF increase its use of artemisin-based combination therapy, and push for wider availability of this effective treatment.

 

 

 

US-led Coalition invade Afghanistan

With many International staff evacuated, our programmes continue to operate led by Afghan staff.

Aid Workers targeted

MSF worker Arjan Erkel is abducted in the North Caucacus, a victim of increasing dangers faced by aid workers in conflict
zones worldwide.

 

 

2001 HIV/AIDS pandemic

MSF start providing antiretroviral therapy to people living with AIDS in the following seven countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Cameroon, Guatemala, Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa.

 

 

 

 

2000 Civil War in Sierra Leone

MSF treat victims of the country’s brutal civil war.

 

 

 

 

 

Asylum seekers flee to Europe

MSF expand programmes assisting asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium.

 

 

 

 

1999 Launch of Campaign
for Access to Essential
Medicines

With millions dying each year from treatable infectious diseases, MSF start an international effort to push for increased access to medecins for the world's poor.

 

 

 

 

Second war in Chechnya

MSF call for access to Grozny and denounce the massive use of violence by Russian forces against civilians.

Nobel Prize

MSF is awarded the Nobel Prize and honoured for its "pioneering humanitarian work on several continents".

 

 

Crisis in Kosovo

During NATO bombing of Serbia, we provide humanitarian assistance to refugees inFYR of Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro.

 

 

 

 

 

1998:Famine in South Sudan

MSF respond to widespread famine caused by civil war and drought.

Civil war in Republic of
Congo

MSF integrate treatment for survivors of
rape and sexual assault into our
emergency response.

 

Hurricane Mitch

MSF assist victims in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Famine in North Korea

Unable to ensure that medical aid was reaching the most vulnerable, we end our programmes after three years, but continue to assist refugees fleeing to China.

 

 

1997: Street children neglected in Madagascar, Brazil and the Philippines

MSF medical and social programs for vulnerable and maginalised youth are expanded.

 

 

 

 

Rwandan refugee crisis
continues

MSF fight for access to Rwandan refugees, many of whom are massacred
or die of starvation and disease.

 

 

 

 

 

1996-97: Rwandan refugees seek aid

MSF assist refugees forced out of camps in Zaire as they return home, but are blocked from assisting those fleeing further into Zaire, who fall victim to widespread massacres.

 

 

 

1996: Meningitis in Nigeria

MSF launch a massive vaccination and
treatment programme helping four and
half a million people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1995: Srebrenica Massacre

Our team witness the fall of the UN "protected zone", and denounce the subsequent massacre of up to 10,000 civilians by Serbian troops.

 

War in Chechnya

MSF bring aid to civilians inside the
republic and in refugee camps in
neighbouring countries.

 

1994: Genocide in Rwanda

MSF remain in Kigali throughout the genocide of more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

We make an unprecedented decision to call for military intervention.

One million Rwandan refugees arrive in the small town of Goma, Zaire.

Within days, we collaborate on the biggest cholera programme to date.

 

1993-94: War in Bosnia

Medical programs in the region extend to the UN's supposed "protection zones" of
Gorazde and Srebrenica.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1993: Civil war in Burundi

A failed coup d’état in October resulted in 750,000 refugees fleeing to neighbouring Rwanda, Tanzania and Zaire.

MSF deploy 85 volunteers in the region but delays in the international relief effort cause widespread famine in the refugee camps.

 

1992: Bosnia

MSF denounces ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

 

Emergency in the Horn of Africa

One hundred MSF volunteers work in the
region affected by war, drought and
displacement of population.

 

1991: Emergency in Somalia

MSF represents the only foreign presence in war-stricken Mogadishu, and aids refugees in other countries.

 

 

 

 

Emergency in Kurdistan

Largest emergency relief operation to
date. MSF provide care in Turkey, Iran
and Jordan to Kurds displaced by the
Gulf War.

Former Yugoslavia

The MSF relief convoy evacuating the
wounded from Vukovar hospital comes
under attack. Three of our workers are
wounded.

 

1990: Civil war in Liberia

Our teams provide emergency care at the height of the fighting.

 

Afghanistan murder

An MSF logistician is murdered in Afghanista. Activities suspended.

 

 

 

1988: Earthquake in Armenia

MSF provide medical care in the Soviet Union.

Iraq attacks Kurds We were the first medical organisation that bears witness to the use of chemical weapons on the Kurdish town of Halabja.

Withdrawal from Sudan after an MSF plane is shot down by a missile, killing 4 people,
two of them MSF volunteers.

 

1986: Civil war in Sri Lanka

MSF organises mobile clinics and hospital programs to treat injured and traumatised citizens in Sri Lanka.

Yemen Intervention in Aden where fighting rages between rival factions of the ruling party.

 

 

 

1985: Conflict in Central America

MSF provide medical care in Honduras to refugees from El Salvador and Nicaragua.

MSF expelled from Ethiopia

MSF is expelled by the government from Ethiopia after denouncing the hijacking of humanitarian aid and the forced transfers of populations by the latter.

 

1984: Famine in Ethiopia

MSF starts programmes to treat malnutrition in hunger-stricken regions of Ethiopia.

1981: MSF hospitals bombed

Bombardments of MSFhospitals in Afghanistan 

 

 

1980: War in Afghanistan

After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the final days of 1979, triggering a war that would last a decade, MSF medical teams clandestinely cross the Pakistani–Afghan border and travel by mule for several weeks to reach injured civilians living in remote areas.

 

 

 

First nutritional programme

In the Karamoja province of Uganda, MSF's first nutritional programme is launched in the midst of drought and civil war.

First international appeal

“Walk for survival of Cambodia”, MSF's first international appeal, is launched in protest against the Vietnamese authorities stopping our teams from bringing aid to Cambodia.

 

1979: MSF splits

Led by Dr. Claude Malhuret and Dr. Francis Charhon, MSF moves beyond its modus operandi of sending isolated doctors to crisis zones in favour of creating a more structured organisation that can provide quality medical services in crises.

Co-founder Dr. Bernard Kouchner leaves in
protest and later founds Médecins du
Monde/Doctors of the World.

 

1978: Refugee assistance

MSF launchs of various refugee
programmes in Thailand,in the Ogaden
region (Djibouti,war between Ethiopia and
Somalia) and Eritrean refugees in Sudan.

 

 

 

 

 

1976: War in Lebanon

Our teams conduct surgery in the organisation's first major intervention in a war zone. 

 

 

 

 

 

1975: Cambodians flee Khmer Rouge

MSF establishes in its first large-scale medical programme during a refugee crisis, providing medical care for waves of Cambodians seeking sanctuary from Pol Pot’s rule. 

 

 

 

1973: Hurricane in Hondarus

Our first mission of long-term medical assistance.

 

1972: Earthquake in
Nicaragua

The earthquake in Nicaragua marks our
first mission in a disaster. 

 

1971: MSF is founded

Médecins Sans Frontières is founded by a group of French doctors and journalists in the wake of the war and accompanying famine in Biafra, Nigeria, and the floods in eastern Pakistan (now Bangladesh).