The organisation was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for its pioneering humanitarian work on several continents.
Medecins Sans Frontiers (in English: Doctors without Borders) was founded in 1971 in France, in the wake of reports on the fate of the population of the separatist Republic of Biafra, Nigeria. The MSF is guided by the principle that medical assistance should be given wherever it is really needed, regardless of political circumstances.
The organisation is best known for its activities in conflict-torn regions and developing countries struggling with endemic infections. Each year, the MSF sends to the field 2,500 doctors and nurses supported by 15,000-strong local staff. They work in 80 countries worldwide. Annually, practitioners working with Medecins Sans Frontiers give six million patient consultations and performs 200,000 surgical interventions.
