Whether in a health care system struggling from a years-long blockade, in makeshift camps for migrants waiting on asylum applications, or in hospitals providing medical care to patients with preventable disease, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams treat people in need across the globe.
As part of our week to highlight short documentaries, we have chosen the five films below that delve into the stories of our patients, the health issues they face, and the work of our staff.
1. “Out of Libya”: Central Mediterranean migration
Many migrants and asylum seekers find themselves trapped for years in Libya on their journey toward North Africa and Europe. Despite the presence of international organizations and the existence of evacuation and resettlement processes, their chances of leaving the country legally are slim to none.
“Out of Libya” follows the stories of three migrants who managed to escape from Libya: Even, Rosine, and Simon, all of whom were MSF patients during their journeys. Even, Rosine, and Simon describe systematic abuse and detention at the hands of smugglers, human traffickers, and Libyan authorities. After years of trying to survive in Libya, all three came to the same conclusion: despite the danger, the only possible way out of the country was by sea.
In 2023 alone, more than 4,000 people died in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to reach Europe. Since 2021, a humanitarian corridor has made it possible to evacuate almost 600 people, including around 50 MSF patients from Libya to Italy. A further 1,400 people are expected to be evacuated over the next three years, of whom almost 300 will be cared for by MSF in Italy.
2. “Living Our Own Story” : Migration in the Americas
“Living Our Own Story” explores the difficulties faced by migrants who make it through hazardous terrain and conditions across the Americas, only to wait in limbo in Mexico while they hope to be granted asylum in the United States.
Adriana, Jhonny, and their four small children left their home in Venezuela earlier this year, and after crossing the Darién Gap jungle, they continued north through Central America and Mexico. They stopped in Mexico City, where they are currently staying in one of several makeshift migrant camps that have sprung up because the city does not have enough shelters to accommodate all the people who need them. Like many of their neighbors in the camps, the family is applying for asylum in the US.
MSF staff visit the camps every day, letting people know how they can get medical and mental health care, including treatment for sexual violence, which many migrants face along their journeys.
3. “13 Years of TB in Tajikistan”: Fighting tuberculosis (TB)
For 13 years, MSF closely collaborated with Tajikistan's Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population to greatly improve TB diagnosis, treatment, and care. “As a result of our joint efforts, the country has achieved a reduction in the incidence rate, including among children and adolescents,” says Dr. Bobojon Pirmahmadzoda, director of Dushanbe city’s TB dispensary. “In 2010, the incidence rate was 12 cases per 100,000 children. Now it is eight to nine cases."
This documentary shows the success of MSF’s project. Key to the program was the introduction of a patient-centered approach that included contact tracing, especially in cases involving children, to stop the spread of infection; holistic support for survivors of domestic violence; customizing medications at a time when pediatric formulations were limited globally; and providing mental health and psychosocial support, including counseling.
4. “Restoring Dignity”: Treating noma in Nigeria
Noma is a neglected disease that in a matter of days can cause life-altering facial disfigurement making it difficult to eat, speak, or breathe. It’s an infectious but non-contagious bacterial disease that starts as an inflammation of the gums, similar to a small mouth ulcer. It destroys the bone and tissue very quickly, affecting the jaw, lips, cheeks, nose, or eyes. The disease mainly affects children under 7 years old living in poverty.
“Restoring Dignity” follows noma survivors Sakina, a child; teenagers Amina and Adamu; and adults Mulikat and Aliyu. All are living with the physical and psychological consequences of noma in Nigeria. Hailing from different regions of Nigeria, the group comes to the north-west city of Sokoto for life-changing treatment.
5. “Gaza: Before Oct. 7th”: The effects of the Israeli blockade on Gaza’s health care system
Gaza’s health care system no longer exists after being systematically dismantled by Israeli forces’ attacks, including bombardment, siege, and the killing and arrests of medical professionals and patients.
Five months prior to the war that has now engulfed Gaza, we began filming this documentary to explore the impact of Israel’s 17-year blockade on Gaza’s health care system as it was before the current war, and how even then, Palestinians faced extreme difficulties importing essential medical items, such C-arms (mobile x-ray machines, essential for orthopedic surgeries). The film also showcases the relative strength of Gaza’s health care system prior to October 2023, offering advanced surgical care, research, and stewardship on antimicrobial resistance among other things.
