The Malawi government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has cemented the relationship with Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) also known as doctors without borders by signing the host country agreement to facilitate better working condition in the country.
The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 in the capital Lilongwe whereby Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. George Chaponda exchanged papers with MSF country representative Kerry Kell.
Speaking with the Maravi Post after the signing the legal agreement, Minister Chaponda assured the MSF officials of the continual better working relationship with the Malawi government saying Malawians have been benefiting from their services ranging from medical humanitarian to international cooperation.
“This affirms Malawi government commitment to continue providing better working condition towards our people with 29 years offering services. It’s never too late to give them legal mandate now working in Malawi but rather cementing the relationship that has been existed for many years.
“They assisted us during the just ended natural disaster specifically on floods in some districts with humanitarian services such as medicine, food and shelter and hoping that the kindness will continue”, delighted, Dr. Chaponda.
MSF country representative, Kerry Kell minced no words for the gestured the Malawi government has shown by giving them the legal mandate to work freely in country saying her organisation will continue helping the public with healthcare.
“Although we signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health, it was wise and proper to do same with entire government through Ministry of Foreign Affairs for better working relationship that has been there for 29 years.
“We have tirelessly worked on vaccinations, HIV/AIDS which made it possible for Malawi to have free ARVs on people living with the virus. We also involved in the just ended disaster period the country experienced with medical support to victims such that post floods activities will be provided later in the year”, assures Kelly.
Medecins Sans Frontieres is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusive from healthcare.
It was founded in 1971 in France by a group of doctors and Journalists in awake of war and famine in Biafra whose aim was to establish an independent organisation that focuses on delivering emergency medicine aid quickly, effectively and impartiality.
Over the years, MSF has received many prestigious awards in recognition of its medical humanitarian work as one of it was in 1999 of Nobel Peace Prize award.
MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion gender or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Malawi since 1986 that much of its activities are done in Thyolo and Chiladzulu.
