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Stop sending us money says aid group

632 views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  HerthElde 
#1 ·
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050104/80/f9mlk.html

Quote:
PARIS (Reuters) - The medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) has urged donors to stop sending it money for Asian tsunami victims, saying it had collected enough funds to manage its relief effort there.

In an unusual step, the group's branches in France and Germany said they had 40 million and 20 million euros (28 million and 14 million pounds) respectively, enough to finance emergency medical aid projects they were supporting in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
 
#3 ·
what about vaxing for diseases that are bound to be epidemic in areas such as that affected by the tsunami? I am trying to wrap my little peabrain around this issue, that's why I ask. Doesn't that seem worthwhile? Or no? Is this an entirely different topic?
 
#4 ·
I did give to UNICEF - figured that IMO vaccine related deseases went down due to better sanitary conditions, and if vaccines were ever warrented it would be in this situation. I also saw that they are focusing on clean water and medicine for families. Besides I want to encourage the UN to take over the US as soon as possible (last part put in for SQ and UCMOM.)

V.
 
#7 ·


Quote:
what about vaxing for diseases that are bound to be epidemic in areas such as that affected by the tsunami? I am trying to wrap my little peabrain around this issue, that's why I ask. Doesn't that seem worthwhile? Or no? Is this an entirely different topic?
IMO, giving money that supports vaxs in these situations is not morally corrupt. Rather, I think that each person should be afforded the same choices that I am (in middle class America).
 
#9 ·
well personally, I don't see the UN "wasting" money to immunize for chickenpox when there are so many other glaring needs. Like I said they are focusing on clean water and MEDICINE such as anti-malaria meds. I can't imagine EVER giving to an organization with Texas and Baptist in the title (or are you making that up?). Never will $1 of mine got to any organization that requires prayer/conversion/ect. in exchange for help. I'd rather see them immunized.

V.
 
#10 ·
Wow, how insulting was that. People from Texas are all freaks or something? No, actually I wasn't joking, that is their name. I ordinarily don't support religious groups either, being a non-Christian individual, but the expertise of this particular group is invaluable. Their history includes water purification & disaster relief services at the World Trade Center site, in post-hurricane Florida & Texas, Mexico, Rwanda, Turkey, Kosovo and Iraq. Their efforts have helped a lot of people who I'm sure probably were praying to something or at least hoping for help & in no footage I've seen did they require conversion or anything else in return. Maybe you've seen something I haven't though.

I think people who want vaccines should have access to them, but it's no substitute for clean water & that's what is priority for me. I figure there are plenty of other people like you who will cover the expense of vaccines.
 
#12 ·
Do Doctores without boarders propose vaccines? I wonder.

Especially in such a situation it would be devastating for children to be vaccinated.

Diseases went down because of better hygiene but if they would have vaccinated during the time when we had poor hygiene, no sanitation, lack of food etc. the side effects of vaccines in a weak and sick body would have been much worse.

Proof is Africa. Starving people being vaccinated only causes much greater problems. But maybe that's their plan?

They need food, water, sanitation, peace. Then the diseases will disappear.

Vaccines serve NO purpose at any time.
 
#13 ·
I don't think so, Gitti. They may give some in the process of treating injury and infection but it's definitely not an emphasized strategy. This is what their release from Monday says:

Quote:
What is the role of a humanitarian medical organization such as MSF in a catastrophe such as this one?

First of all, assessing the needs on a case-by-case basis. The situations vary significantly from country to country. In Sri Lanka and Indonesia, the health systems are already fragile and have been submerged by the influx of injured, because these countries have been affected so violently. Thailand and Malaysia are less affected and more developed and are, therefore, better equipped to respond. Furthermore, within any country, there are always segments of the population that are neglected by the aid agencies and these are the ones on whom we try to focus our efforts.

We may be asked to intervene in various ways. Sometimes we can help to take care of the injured, where there is a need for this. But caring for the injured is an emergency in the first few days and NGOs often arrive too late for that. So the main part of our action will be to ensure access to treatment, emergency distributions of equipment like plastic tarpaulins for the shelters and blankets, and water supplies for the populations affected by the disaster. In the short term, this should lead to an improvement in their living conditions and limit the mortality rate in the event of the appearance and spread of diseases. Finally, we can participate in the epidemiological surveillance effort. A team from Epicentre is going to the region to support the health authorities and MSF teams.
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...5_guerin.shtml

And some of the specific details of their activity so far:
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...-04-2005.shtml
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...outhasia.shtml
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...03a-2005.shtml
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...-03-2005.shtml

I do know that UNICEF has mass vaccinated children in at least India, Kerala & Tamil Nadu (at least measles was given, maybe OPV?) along with vit A supplementation though.
 
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