By Danae Ikonomopoulou

Doctors without borders is: a national medical humanitarian organization, founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors and journalists that provides care to people excluded from health care, to victims of violence, Doctors without borders help to all sort of crisis including war, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics and refugees, mainly in African and Asian countries that are lacking basic necessities.

War
Conflicts “offer” nothing more than unhappiness, poverty, injuries, sexual violence, and of course death…
The organization provides medical care to combat zones with their supplies trying to prevent the risks of outbreaks.

Natural disasters
Due to natural causes such as fires, earthquakes, tsunamis a lot of people lose their homes and are unable to have access to safe water and health care services.
At those difficult time Doctors without borders are the first to provide life-saving medical care.

Epidemics, pandemics
Third world countries suffer from varieties of infectious diseases that can actually be controlled and prevented from massive spread such as cholera, embola, yellow fever.
Although these diseases are treatable some countries around the world that live in poverty, have limited access to health care.
Volunteer doctors set up temporary facilities to treat patients and run vaccination campaigns, rapid adapting to the unique needs of different communities.

Refugees
For the reasons mentioned above millions of people are forced to leave their homes and live under awful situations.
The “angels” doctors as they deserve to be called, conduct rapid needs assessments, providing services such as nutrition, water, vaccination and of course accommodation to the displaced people.

Volunteering with Doctors without borders

Volunteering with Doctors without borders is hard and exhausting but it is also an unforgettable experience.
Volunteers are from all kinds of places around the world and from different ages.
The staff consists of experienced doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses.
Psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists are much needed.
Also, non-medical staff are of a high significance like managers and technicians.
Volunteers need to have both educational and social skills and qualities.
As for social skills, they need to be hard-working, caring, patient and physically and mentally strong. They need to be social, cooperative and willing to take initiatives.
Being a volunteer is hard but the benefits are much more important.
The feeling of being helpful and offering the best you can to other individuals is said to be the best wholesome feeling by all the volunteers.
Doctors without borders constitute the most effective and active association for peace and health to the whole world.
We only ensure our fellow healthfulness giving practical and actual support to them.
Doctors without borders is a non profit organization by courageous and kind people that without making any discrimination put others above themselves and are ready to sacrifice their lives.
They deserve every recognition and admiration from the public and they are the living example of what being a human really means…
Respect to those heroes!

Sources:
• SDO_DMYP_00287_Medium.pdf (teipel.gr)
• https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9decins_Sans_Fronti%C3%A8res
• https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%93%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%84%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%AF_%CE%A7%CF%89%CF%81%CE%AF%CF%82_%CE%A3%CF%8D%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B1