Carrie shares her experiences
Posted by Malcolm Slater
Carrie Bernard MD from Doctors Without Borders (MFS) was our speaker on Monday.
Carrie obtained a BSc in Occupational Therapy in 1988 and completed a Family Medicine residency at U of T in 1999. She now works in family medicine in Brampton and volunteered for MFS in Uganda in 2004.
Carrie obtained a BSc in Occupational Therapy in 1988 and completed a Family Medicine residency at U of T in 1999. She now works in family medicine in Brampton and volunteered for MFS in Uganda in 2004.
MFS was started in 1971 in Afghanistan by a number of French doctors. It now has over 2000 volunteer doctors and nurses working in parts of the world where people are at risk. MFS is neutral and impartial and guns are not allowed in its camps. In areas of conflict, MFS will provide medical help to either side of the conflict. MFS was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
MFS seeks to reduce suffering and provide emergency healthcare. It vaccinates millions of people every year, runs nutritional programs, trains local healthcare providers, educates populations at risk about disease transmission and hygiene and provides clean drinking water.
Carrie talked about her experiences working in a North Uganda refugee camp where there were no doctors, no electricity and very little food. A war has been going on in Uganda for 20 years and there were 1.6 million displaced people in refugee camps. People are dying every day from poverty, malnutrition, disease and non-existent health care.
Children were most at risk as they were regularly abducted for slave labour or to be rebel soldiers. Working there, Carrie was faced with pain and suffering everyday and on at least one occasion she had her life threatened by rebel soldiers.
Unlike the Red Cross and other aid organizations, MFS is operated by volunteers and 80% of its revenues are used to fund program activities.
MFS seeks to reduce suffering and provide emergency healthcare. It vaccinates millions of people every year, runs nutritional programs, trains local healthcare providers, educates populations at risk about disease transmission and hygiene and provides clean drinking water.
Carrie talked about her experiences working in a North Uganda refugee camp where there were no doctors, no electricity and very little food. A war has been going on in Uganda for 20 years and there were 1.6 million displaced people in refugee camps. People are dying every day from poverty, malnutrition, disease and non-existent health care.
Children were most at risk as they were regularly abducted for slave labour or to be rebel soldiers. Working there, Carrie was faced with pain and suffering everyday and on at least one occasion she had her life threatened by rebel soldiers.
Unlike the Red Cross and other aid organizations, MFS is operated by volunteers and 80% of its revenues are used to fund program activities.