Xenophobic violence: Doctors without borders looking for volunteers 22-05-08

 

Xenophobic violence: Doctors Without Borders looking for volunteers

Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) - an independent non-profit international medical humanitarian organisation which has been assisting victims of the xenophobic violence that has gripped parts of Gauteng - is looking for volunteers.

MSF staff has been hard at work since the outbreak of xenophobic violence. They have made a huge difference to those injured during the attacks in Reiger Park, Thembisa, Diepsloot, and Zandspruit - among other areas.

"The drive to get volunteers who will identify hotspots and accompany the doctors, is fully endorsed by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)," said COSATU organising secretary Theo Steele.

"We would like to appeal to people to assist us in co-ordinating our efforts to monitor the hot spots and assist in the medical response to the violence," said MSF's Sharon Ekambaram.

MSF staff formed part of the march over the weekend in Johannesburg, protesting against xenophobia, food and electricity price increases, and in support of the people of Zimbabwe. The organisation, which has also assisted victims in the post-elections Kenya violence, globally delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in nearly 60 countries, is looking for volunteers to identify hotspots and accompany them.

Each year, MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other medical and non-medical professionals depart on more than 4,700 aid assignments. They work alongside more than 25,800 locally hired staff to provide medical care.

In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF provides essential health care, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centres for malnourished children, and offers mental health care.

When needed, MSF also constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting. Through longer-term programs, MSF treats patients with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, and HIV/AIDS, and provides medical and psychological care to marginalized groups such as street children.

Volunteers should contact COSATU organising secretary Theo Steele on cell: 082-563-6955