The organization “Doctors without Borders” stops its activities in Russia: what is the reason
The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) announced the termination of its activities in Russia, where it had been working since 1992. This decision was made after the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation excluded the organization from the register of foreign non-governmental organizations in August.
In his statement on September 16, MSF explained that it had received a notification from the Russian Ministry of Justice about the exclusion of the representative office of Doctors Without Borders (Netherlands) from the official register, which was the reason for the termination of work in the country.
For 32 years, Doctors Without Borders provided medical assistance to the homeless, tuberculosis patients, and during emergencies. After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the organization helped refugees and internally displaced persons who found themselves in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Since the start of the war in 2022, more than 52,000 people in Russia have received humanitarian assistance from MSF, of which more than 15,400 people have received free medical, psychological and psychosocial support.
The organization actively cooperated with the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in the development of innovative methods of tuberculosis treatment, and its activities covered various regions of the country: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kemerovo region, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, as well as Arkhangelsk, Ivanovo regions, Belgorod and Rostov – on the Don.
MSF operations manager Norman Sitali noted that the organization is ready to return to Russia if there are suitable conditions for continuing work there.
“It is with a heavy heart that we are forced to stop our activities in Russia. In our work, our organization is guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, neutrality and medical ethics. We provide assistance depending on the needs”, – added Yashovardhan, head of MSF’s programs in Russia.
