The MSF Scientific Days bring together researchers, innovators, and advocates in humanitarian global health to discuss and challenge research from within the sector.
MSF Scientific Day is on 22 May 2025. This annual conference highlights medical research from fragile and conflict-affected settings, bringing together researchers, innovators, and advocates in humanitarian global health.
MSF Scientific Day demonstrates that it's possible to conduct quality research in situations of humanitarian crisis, and it's imperative for MSF and others to support these communities to participate in and have access to research in order to:
- stimulate improvement in the delivery and quality of medical care and public health interventions
- inform humanitarian practice and policy, especially where there are no organisations addressing those knowledge gaps
All too often, populations in crisis are excluded from generating evidence and from reaping the benefits of research. MSF Scientific Day offers a space to challenge that exclusion and reframe the research agenda to be more inclusive and equitable.
We are pleased to announce Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as this year’s keynote speaker. Her address will highlight the role of vaccination in medical humanitarian activities and where we must now focus our efforts for the future.
Other topics will include:
🔹 Hepatitis C virus (HCV): results from a mass screening and treatment intervention in a Karachi slum demonstrate that large-scale HCV testing and treatment are not only possible but crucial in neglected communities.
🔹 Schistosomiasis: an MSF programme in South Sudan brings new insights into the complexity of tackling Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in resource-limited, high-burden settings.
🔹 Severe acute malnutrition (SAM): findings from an MSF integrated psychosocial support programme, as part of treatment for SAM, demonstrate its critical role in promoting child recovery and supporting maternal well-being.
🔹 Vaccination coverage in the Democratic Republic Congo: geospatial data, alongside the 2023 national vaccination coverage survey, reveals new insights into measles coverage highlighting gaps in reaching underserved communities.
🔹 Malaria vaccine in Ethiopia: the implementation of the R21 vaccine into existing malaria interventions in a refugee camp demonstrates the operational impact of careful planning and community engagement for successful acceptance.
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Recordings of all presentations are available on the MSF Science Portal >
Highlights from our 2023 event
Missed our event on 7 June 2023? You can find all of our content on the MSF Science Portal
Our 2023 event showcased research conducted by MSF, its partners and beyond, and featured four sessions on topics ranging from tuberculosis and operational strategies to reproductive health and outbreaks. Some of the emerging themes were:
- The importance of meaningful patient engagement to achieve more appropriate research and interventions. Sohana Saddique presented on a successful collaboration between MSF and two factories in Bangladesh to improve workplace safety. Here, active participation from the factory owners and workers helped in co-creating effective interventions and infrastructure changes that could be sustained in the absence of MSF.
- The scope of humanitarian health action was questioned, particularly the extent of MSF’s responsibilities in situations that require longer term presence. In addition to this, Sakib Burza urged us to look beyond the immediate impacts of humanitarian health action, presenting an example of the environmental benefits that can be achieved by providing support to communities in ecologically critical areas in Borneo. Average deforestation rates were significantly lower in villages provided with healthcare and livelihoods support, illustrating that the resilience of these communities is tied to the environment.
- The urgency to move beyond solely lifesaving activities was highlighted as our focus begins to expand to include measures of quality of life and patient-reported outcomes. This attitude shift was discussed during Beverley Stringer’s presentation on patient experiences from the TB-PRACTECAL clinical trial and emphasised in Matthew Coldiron’s presentation on the need for aftercare in light of the long-term effects of a meningitis epidemic that occurred in Niger in 2022.
Finally, two noteworthy studies from our partners were presented which we want to highlight:
Epicentre’s Estelle Pasquier on the high severity of abortion complications in fragile and conflict-affected settings, and DNDi’s Alexandra Solomos on a shorter, safer treatment for visceral leishmaniasis.
If you missed previous events you can catch up here:
MSF Asia Scientific Day 2022
MSF Scientific Day International 2022
MSF Scientific Day Southern Africa – Zimbabwe
Visit the MSF Science Portal to watch all content from previous years