Emergency Fund

Emergency Fund

When an emergency occurs, it’s vital MSF moves fast. Our priority is getting aid to those who need it, not wrangling red tape. We need quick access to resources so we can deploy our medical humanitarian teams and supplies as soon as possible.

The MSF emergency fund ensures we have adequate financial resources ready so that our teams don’t lose precious time when an earthquake hits, or when a war breaks out. We don’t usually know the scale or scope of our response until after an initial assessment at the site of the crisis, and it’s only at this point we can estimate how much money we will need to assist the people affected.

Often, crises with the most media coverage receive the most donations. Not every emergency captures the world’s attention, and due to the 24/7 news cycle, attention often moves on quickly before the emergency is over. Our core values of independence, impartiality and neutrality guide us to provide aid where it is needed.

In 2023, our Australian and New Zealand donors contributed $10.8 million (AUD) to MSF’s emergency fund. This generosity supported MSF’s response to emergencies in Afghanistan, Libya, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and other countries, including wars, disease outbreaks, disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and emergency preparation activities.

Emergency response in Ukraine

In 2023, MSF supported the health authorities in Ukraine by filling critical gaps in care, particularly in areas close to the frontlines. We used specially designed medical trains to evacuate thousands of patients from frontline areas to safer places where they could receive specialised care.

At the end of the year, we wound down this service and scaled up to focus on emergency care. Of the many thousands of patients we referred during the year, almost 60 per cent were treated for violent trauma.

The re-escalation of war in Gaza

MSF teams were already treating patients in Gaza prior to October 2023, including a cohort of patients injured in previous escalations. When the current war began in October, our teams adapted to provide emergency care for people under intense bombing and violence, including attacks on health facilities and humanitarian staff.

Throughout the remainder of 2023, emergency fund donations went towards supporting activities such as surgical and inpatient care, burns care, mass casualty responses, and donations of medicines and medical supplies.