Doctors Without Borders is a non-profit organization that operates within the public health sector both locally and in international communities. Its mission is to provide life-saving medical assistance to those in need. They do so by providing emergency medical care to individuals in crises around the world (De Deus & Renata, 2017). It is through this purpose that, people in distress and those seeking medical assistance can live a quality life. MSF provides food, shelter, water, and sanitation to the most vulnerable in cases where the need more than medical assistance. As a nurse, working with MSF is crucial as it helps in saving lives and reduces the suffering of those in dire need of medical assistance. It is an organization that it’s known for providing its members a working environment free of harassment and abuse
Its vision is to provide emergency medical care while promoting impartiality, neutrality, and independence and that all its members respect their professional code. They do this by providing free medical care to all who are in need in any part of the world, regardless of their religion, political conviction, creed, and race (De Deus & Renata, 2017). In the spirit of being neutral, they do not take sides but only offer medical assistance where they are needed most. It is independent as it is funded by private individuals and therefore they do not have to be limited by political convictions. As a nurse, working for MSF will help me to commit to providing the best medicine to all patients and help them live meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Equal opportunity and quality of life
Doctors Without Borders operates under four main principles that help the organization improve quality of life and promote equal opportunities to all who deserve it. MSF offers its services globally to all the people in the world (“Frontières, Médecins Sans”, 2019). One of its principal values is being impartial, meaning that services are offered in need regardless of political affiliation, the country they belong to, or the religion they worship. Similarly, in the event there are offering services to conflicting communities, MSF does not take sides, instead, offers care to those in need regardless of the sides which they support.
To ensure that it responds to emergency medical to all communities in the world, MSF has offices across different countries (“Frontières, Médecins Sans”, 2019). These offices and branches are fully equipped with medical equipment that best suits the communities they are situated in, and thus, ensures they offer equal opportunities to every individual in the world. For example, as a healthcare provider in MSF, I act as an agent of change in offering equal opportunity to access emergency quality medical care which brings satisfaction gives hope, and at large improves the quality of life to a community.
There is a misconception that emergency response units, respond fast to a crisis in white people communities than the black people communities. MSF is known for responding to all communities regardless of race and offering quality care to all. With thousands and thousands of volunteer doctors and other health care providers, MSF has been able to reach most of the communities in the world, which enables them to meet its mission, goals, and objectives.
Impact of policy, legislature and funding sources on MSF service delivery.
Funding is essential to ensure that MSF provides quality medical care to patients. Besides, funds are needed to cater for other operations such as transport, salaries, and overhead cost that may arise during response time. The principle of independence in MSF’s mission statement focuses on the funds’ aspect of the organization (Val & Lesley, 2017). This principle states that the organization only receives funds from a private individual in the public and not any government to avoid its activities being limited to one political affiliation.
The policies and Legislations of MSF operate under the other principles of the organization. For example, Doctors and other healthcare providers have to observe, impartiality, professionalism, and neutrality when providing services. As such, members can respect their professional and ethical codes during the provision of services.
Health and/or safety needs of local community.
The main goal of MSF is to provide emergency medical care to individuals in crisis and the organization’s work process gears to improve health and safeguard the need of communities in distress. MSF operates in almost all countries in the world with local branches (“Frontières, Médecins Sans”, 2019). This means MSF can provide its services at ease which ensures the safety needs of the local community comes first. For example, in Sudan MSF mostly deals in protecting victims of rape especially women and children. It provides the necessary medical care, psych-social assistance and offers programs that help these victims get over the trauma. By doing these, they positively impact the health of individuals and the community at large. Even still, in pursuit to provide quality emergency healthcare, MSF improves the quality of life through safeguarding the safety needs of local communities. It is for such a course, that I want to work with MSF, to help improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable in society in the times they need me most.
Reference
De Deus, S., & Renata, R. (2017). Doctors without Borders: Coherent Principles. SUR-Int’l J. on Hum Rts, 25, 259.
Frontières, Médecins Sans. (2019). Doctors without borders. Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo: Fighting an epidemic in a conflict zone. Article online.
Val, W., and Lesley, S. (2017). Doctors without borders. Academic Medicine, 92(4), 441-443.
