MSF: A Year of Impact in Picture in 2024
13 December 2024

Over the past 12 months, Médecins Sans Frontières teams have witnessed the continuation and escalation of conflicts, such as those in Gaza and Sudan, where unabated wars have raged into a second year. Our teams were also there for people and families seeking safety throughout the year, whether at the Mexico border or onboard our search and rescue ship in the Mediterranean Sea.
This collection of photos, taken between December 2023 and December 2024, features the highs and lows we – and those we assist – experience as we provide medical and humanitarian assistance in over 70 countries. They show the breaking points – such as when we had to suspend activities in Haiti’s capital – but also resilience and joy, as when we witnessed a mother meeting her baby for the first time in South Sudan. These photos show how bearing witness can create a point of connection.
Conflict and War
In conflict zones, MSF provides medical care based solely on need, with all funding from private donors to maintain independence. This allows us to reach those in need, even in dangerous situations.
War causes trauma, disrupts healthcare, and increases mental health issues. MSF teams offer specialised care, including for sexual violence survivors. In 2024, our teams are working in places such as Gaza, Lebanon, and South Sudan, providing life-saving care amid ongoing violence and displacement.








Natural Disasters
With over 50 years of experience, MSF is an expert in rolling out emergency responses in complex settings.
Natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes can overwhelm entire populations within minutes, causing widespread injury, trauma, and loss of life. Clean water, healthcare, and transport systems are often severely impacted, making rapid medical care and a coordinated response essential to protecting survivors.
From large-scale catastrophes to local emergencies, MSF’s network of aid workers and supplies around the world enables us to quickly respond to disasters. In 2024, we’ve provided emergency relief in places like Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, South Sudan, and Nigeria, delivering life-saving medical care and support to those in urgent need.






Maternal and paediatric healthcare
Many women across the world give birth without medical assistance, increasing the risk of complications or death. Ninety-nine percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, and the majority are preventable with appropriate care.
MSF teams work with pregnant women to provide delivery services, emergency obstetric care, and post-delivery consultations. We collaborate with midwives and traditional birth attendants to identify complications early, helping to prevent maternal deaths. In 2024, MSF continues to offer essential care in countries like South Sudan, Gaza, Chad, and Nigeria.






Refugees and Displacement
An unprecedented 108.4 million people worldwide have been forced from their homes due to violence, conflict, natural disasters, or extreme weather. Among them, 35.3 million are refugees seeking safety in other countries, with over half of them being under 18.
MSF provides vital care to refugees and displaced people in crisis zones, including Mexico, Lebanon, Syria, South Sudan, and Gaza. We also conduct search and rescue operations at sea, helping those fleeing across dangerous waters. Additionally, millions remain stateless, denied basic rights like healthcare and education.








![Mohammed in his makeshift shelter the University of Zalingei, Central Darfur state, Sudan. Mohammed was displaced from Al-Hasahisa camp as fighting started between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the camp. Mohammed and his family endured months of bombings and lack of water, that was blocked from entering the camp. Eventually, together with his family he fled his home in the camp and came to the University of Zalingei.
“We managed to escape with our children, and left all of our belongings,” explains Mohammed. “When we left Al-Hasahisa camp, they beat me seriously. Also, my brother was seriously beaten, and now he is unable to move, sick at home.”
Over a thousand people are living in the University compound, most displaced from Al-Hasahisa camp. As one of the first ones to arrive to the looted and damaged university campus, Mohammed was able to secure an office space for him and his family.
As most humanitarian actors have not returned to Sudan after the war started over a year ago, displaced people have been largely cut from humanitarian assistance.
“Sometimes we cut trees to get fire food to support the family, but [so far] we haven´t received any humanitarian support,” explains Mohammed. “I’m trying to work as a carrier, but the salary is too little.”
As food and medicine prices spiked and health care services collapsed in most of the country, those displaced rarely receive medical care and medicine. At the University, people are trying to collaborate to gain access to medication.
“We all make contributions and anyone participating can share [medication],” explains Mohammed. “We share with the community and treat the patient.”](https://media.msf.org/AssetLink/13sf3o6pky0f7105sebsjo2yq31dlw46.jpg)


Medical Care and Rehabilitation
In conflict zones and areas affected by disaster, MSF provides essential medical care to those in urgent need. Our teams offer treatment and surgeries for trauma injuries, infections, malnutrition, and other life-threatening conditions, ensuring that people receive immediate and ongoing care.
In addition to emergency response, we focus on long-term rehabilitation for survivors. This includes physical therapy for those with severe injuries, mental health support for trauma victims, and ongoing care for those suffering from chronic conditions or disabilities.
An example of our rehabilitative care can be seen with Karam, 17, from Nuseirat Camp in central Gaza. After surviving an Israeli airstrike that leveled his family’s house, Karam suffered severe burns to his face and body, as well as a serious arm injury. He is now receiving comprehensive reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy at MSF’s Reconstructive Surgery Hospital in Amman, Jordan.










Uncategorised
Among the powerful images captured, one stands out: Christopher Lockyear, the Secretary General of MSF, holding up a photo of the destroyed MSF shelter in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, Gaza. This image serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by our teams on the ground.
Another deeply unsettling image depicts a 20-month-old toddler who was struck by shrapnel while shopping with her mother in a nearby market after a bomb blast tore through the neighbourhood. The child was brought to the Bashair Training Hospital in South Khartoum, where an MSF emergency team operated to save her life after a part of her skull cap fell off during the X-ray. This image captures not only the devastating consequences of violence but also the life-saving interventions MSF provides in the most critical moments.

















