Statements & Opinion

Ahead of the G7 summit this week, Médecins Sans Frontières Australia is calling on the Australian government to immediately donate surplus vaccines that have been manufactured in Australia to COVAX. 

The Australian government needs to support formal negotiations on the landmark intellectual property waiver being discussed today at the World Trade Organization meeting, says the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The second wave of COVID-19 is reaching extremely alarming levels in India. Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has scaled up its intervention in Mumbai, Maharashtra, where the increasing numbers of cases have been devastating to the healthcare system. 

The health system in Papua New Guinea is on the brink of collapse as COVID-19 cases triple in a matter of weeks and increasing numbers of healthcare staff are testing positive, says Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). 

The Australian Government’s support for Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 response is welcome, but is insufficient and too late, said Médecins Sans Frontières /Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Health facilities across Ethiopia’s Tigray region have been looted, vandalised and destroyed in a deliberate and widespread attack on healthcare, according to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Of 106 health facilities visited by MSF teams between mid-December and early March, nearly 70 per cent had been looted and more than 30 percent had been damaged; just 13 per cent were functioning normally.

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.