Five reasons to feel hopeful

Medical humanitarianism is an act of hope. Given the profoundly challenging conditions that MSF teams work under, it can be easy to lose sight of the genuine moments of hope that emerge from disaster. From solving complex problems to providing dignified healthcare, our teams work day in, day out to make life more liveable for their communities. 

1 | Saving lives in a diphtheria outbreak

Kano is one of Nigeria’s states most affected by the ongoing diphtheria outbreak that was officially declared in 2023.

For unvaccinated people without access to proper treatment, diphtheria is fatal in around 30 percent of cases, with young children at higher risk of dying.  

In response to the outbreak, MSF started an emergency intervention for diphtheria in 2023, working alongside the Ministry of Health. Between the start of the response and 30 May 2026, MSF has treated more than 14,700 children through health centres and home-based care.  

MSF has also supported mass vaccination campaigns against diphtheria along with other prevention measures. During the emergency intervention, fatality rates in MSF-supported facilities dropped from 25 percent to less than five percent.

Khadija's son was seriously unwell with diphtheria. She says:

“Since arriving, they have given my son injections, IV fluids, and oxygen. I can already see improvement. He is drinking porridge and water again, and his voice is returning. Before, he could barely speak. The care here has been kind and attentive, without discrimination.”

2 | MSF resumes essential medical care in conflict zones

Attacks on healthcare are sadly becoming increasingly common. Our teams in Haiti and South Sudan have been forced to make difficult decisions under extreme pressure. But in recent weeks, two critical projects have been able to resume life-saving services.

After a three-week suspension due to violent clashes between armed groups, MSF teams have gradually resumed activities at the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity Hospital in Cité Soleil, Haiti.

Since 14 July, the facility has been operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This resumption of services means women can once again access care, in a place where access to health services remains extremely difficult.

The facility was forced to suspend its activities on 19 June, following five days of intense fighting between armed groups in Cité Soleil, during which bullets struck the maternity unit.

After months of conflict and displacement, MSF teams have also been able to resume providing medical care at Akobo Teaching Hospital in Jonglei State, South Sudan. The hospital and many health facilities in the area were looted during the violence, leaving communities with limited access to healthcare.

As people return to Akobo, MSF and Ministry of Health teams are providing outpatient consultations, paediatric care, maternal health services, malnutrition screening and treatment, malaria care, and emergency referrals.

3| A lifeline for children in remote areas

Bria is a town in Haute Kotto, a vast, remote province in southeastern Central African Republic.

Health centres here are scarce and difficult to access — roads are poorly maintained and high travel costs put care out of reach for many people. MSF manages the paediatric department at the Ministry of Health-run hospital. We fund and organise motorcycle taxi transportation and support six smaller health facilities closer to where people live.

When someone who lives near one of the health centres but far from Bria becomes ill or injured — with severe malaria, complicated malnutrition, or snake bites, for example — the health centre arranges a motorcycle to take them to the hospital. Some patients must travel long, grueling journeys of hundreds of miles.

In 2025, the paediatric ward treated 11,375 children in need of emergency care, facilitated 25,605 outpatient consultations, and provided care to 1,722 patients with chronic diseases, including children living with HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, asthma, sickle cell disease, and epilepsy. 

4 | Using mosquitos to control dengue fever

This month, MSF teams launched a new dengue project in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. The initiative aims to help teams detect dengue infections earlier, ensure patients are treated in a timely way, and establish community-based epidemiological surveillance systems.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is a recurring public health challenge in Honduras. While many cases are mild, severe dengue can cause serious complications and can be fatal without timely treatment.

Between 2023 and 2025, MSF implemented a similar prevention project in three Tegucigalpa neighbourhoods to help control dengue and Zika and Chikungunya, other viruses spread by mosquitos. The approach included the release of mosquitos carrying Wolbachia bacteria, which inhibits mosquitoes’ ability to transmit dengue and other viruses.

5 | The Ebola survivors (aka “guardian angels”) caring for isolated babies

It’s never just MSF teams who provide hope; the patients and communities we work with always inspire. In Democratic Republic of Congo, the current Ebola disease outbreak is the fastest spreading Ebola outbreak on record.

In Mongbwalu, a town in Ituri province at the heart of the outbreak, MSF teams are running an Ebola Treatment Centre.

Asanté is a one-month-old baby who survived Ebola. Tragically, both her parents died from Ebola disease. Since her mother passed away, Francine has taken care of her. Francine is one of the centre’s "guardian angels": a group of surviving Ebola patients who now look after isolated sick children. Francine herself lost her eight-month-old baby who was also sick with Ebola.

Asanté was discharged from the Ebola treatment centre on 24 July and has now fully recovered. Francine adopted her and the two are now a new family.