1. What Does Doctors Without
Borders Accomplish?
By Randy Blum

2. Introduction
• Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org),
which is more widely known outside the United States by its
French name, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), operates in
more than 60 countries to address the medical needs of
individuals endangered by exclusion from healthcare,
violence, neglect, epidemics, malnutrition, or natural
disasters. Guided by the principles of medical ethics, the
organization’s personnel provide neutral and impartial care to
those in need. The organization’s success results from its
ability to act independently, since its funding comes from
nearly 4 million individuals and private funders around the
world. This independence allows MSF to bear witness and
speak out concerning underreported violence, atrocities, and
neglect.

3. Doctors Without Borders
• About 22,000 individuals are affiliated with MSF. These
personnel include laboratory technicians, doctors, nurses,
mental health professionals, water and sanitation experts,
epidemiologists, logistics experts, and administrators. Before
initiating programs in any area, medical teams conduct
evaluations on the ground to determine a population's
medical needs, with the goal of filling the gaps in existing
resources. In 2009 alone, medical personnel provided 7.5
million outpatient consultations, conducted 50,000 surgeries,
and delivered 110,000 babies. MSF medical teams also treated
1.1 million people for malaria, vaccinated 7.9 million people
against meningitis, and provided 165,000 HIV and AIDS
patients with antiretroviral therapy. MSF won the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1999.

4. About Randy Blum:
• With a special interest in health-related
charities, Randy Blum supports the
humanitarian work of Doctors Without Borders,
in addition to other nonprofit organizations.
Blum founded and currently operates Blum
Virtual Travel.