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Mission and Programs

Mission

MSF is an independent, private, international medical relief organization aiding victims of armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and social marginalization. MSF is an international network with offices in 19 countries. Each year, MSF volunteer doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other medical and non-medical professionals depart on more than 3,800 aid missions. They work alongside more than 22,500 locally hired staff to provide medical care.

In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF provides health care, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgery, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centers for malnourished children, and offers mental health care. When needed, MSF also constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting.

MSF was founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors. It was the first non-governmental organization to both provide emergency medical assistance and to bear witness publicly in the event of gross violations of humanitarian law.

Programs

In emergencies and their aftermath, Doctors Without Borders provides primary healthcare, performs surgery, rehabilitates hospitals and clinics, runs nutrition and sanitation programs, trains local medical personnel, and provides mental health care. Through longer-term programs, Doctors Without Borders treats chronic, endemic diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; assists with the medical and psychological problems of marginalized populations including street children and ethnic minorities; and brings healthcare to remote, isolated areas where resources and training are limited.

Program / Activities (NTEE Code)

International Relief

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending 12/31/2006

1. In the spring of 2006, MSF emergency teams responded to a devastating cholera epidemic in Angola, treating more than 26,000 people with cholera and sending close to 400 tons of supplies to treat patients and stem the outbreak. The organization also oversaw the chlorination of water and disinfected more than 500 truckloads of water per day, providing five million liters to people living in and around the capital city.
2. MSF continued to provide medical aid to hundreds of thousands of displaced people in projects throughout Darfur amidst deteriorating security conditions.
3. MSF established a program in Amman, Jordan, to provide assistance to Iraqi patients in need of specialized surgery.

1. Provide high-quality emergency medical care in conflict and crisis zones such as Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Haiti, Uganda, Colombia, and Ivory Coast.
2. Respond immediately to epidemic outbreaks such as cholera, meningitis, measles, and hemorrhagic fevers.
3. Advocate on behalf of populations at risk and advance the priorities of the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, which seeks to ensure the availability and affordability of life-saving medicines for people in the developing world.

Doctors Without Borders is constantly re-assessing its programs to ensure their medical quality and effectiveness, as well as their potential for sustainability by local staff organizations.

Chief Executive Profile

Nicolas de Torrente is Executive Director of Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the United States. Before joining the US office in early 2001, he worked extensively for the organization, first as an administrator and head of mission in Tanzania and Rwanda, and later as an emergency coordinator in Somalia, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Macedonia, and Afghanistan. He has also advised on the agency's work in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. A Swiss national, Mr. de Torrente holds degrees from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Switzerland and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, and a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He has published numerous articles on humanitarian and development issues, and has prepared reports for the European Commission and the Danish government on Africa's Great Lakes region.

Additional Comments

Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize.

The organization received the Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1998.

Financial Data
From the organization's FORM 990

Revenue and Expenses: Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2007

Revenue			Expenses
Contributions $152,136,404 Government Grants $0 Program Services $5,519,317 Investments $3,704,599 Special Events $0 Sales $0 Other $85,918			Program Services $133,695,129 Administration $1,739,997 Other $17,575,590 Total Expenditures $153,010,716
Total Revenue	$161,446,238		NET GAIN/LOSS	$8,435,522

Balance Sheet: Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2007

Notes
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot long survive, but the types of assets and liabilities also must be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Assets	Jan 1, 2007	Dec 31, 2007	Change
Cash & Equivalent	$18,206,521	$70,640,565	$52,434,044
Accounts Receivable	$1,255,788	$1,500,134	$244,346
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$22,269,420	$20,454,500	$(1,814,920)
Receivables/Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investments/Securities	$46,950,920	$4,488,681	$(42,462,239)
Investments/Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets	$416,195	$455,680	$39,485
Other	$227,857	$253,514	$25,657
Total Assets	$89,326,701	$97,793,074	$8,466,373
Liabilities	Jan 1, 2007	Dec 31, 2007	Change
Accounts Payable	$4,364,016	$4,560,475	$196,459
Grants Payable	$12,500	$54,993	$42,493
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Liabilities	$4,376,516	$4,615,468	$238,952
FUND BALANCE	$84,950,185	$93,177,606	$8,227,421

Comments from the organization
For MSF to respond in a moment's notice and meet the needs of people affected by war, malnutrition, or disease, the organization must retain its operational independence. Strong support through private donations makes MSF's independence possible. MSF's decision to intervene in any country or crisis is based solely on an independent assessment of needs - not political, economic, or religious interests.
In 2005, donors in the United States contributed more than $123 million to MSF-USA. By keeping operating and fundraising costs low, MSF was able to direct over 85 percent of this revenue to our field programs. Doctors Without Borders strives to direct at least 85 percent of our spending to relief programs. We have surpassed this standard every year from 1995 to 2005. We are committed to this goal.

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