Baby boxes: A lifeline for vulnerable mums
Can you imagine having to choose between eating dinner or buying nappies for your baby? This is the harsh reality facing many of Doctors of the World’s (DOTW) pregnant patients, who are among the most marginalised women in the country. “So many of our pregnant service users experience extreme hardship and have to make stark choices between such things as having an evening meal or buying nappies or a sleep suit for the baby,” said Bettina, a midwife and long-time DOTW volunteer. Bettina and her colleagues at the Women and Children’s Clinic support hundreds of women and their families each year, providing healt...
Source: Doctors of the World News - October 30, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Press release: New report reveals the devastating impact of NHS charging on migrants in vulnerable circumstances
This report shows that in the UK, medical care charges are being applied to those least able to pay – people who are homeless and destitute, people who already struggle to afford to feed themselves,” she said. “At best, the NHS charging policy is problematic, unworkable in practice, and a poor use of NHS resources. At worst, it is reckless and a threat to patient and public health, and the UK’s commitments to achieve universal healthcare coverage.” Ms Miller said the Hospital Access Project audit adds compelling evidence to the urgent calls from the Hands Up for Our Health campaign – launched last week by D...
Source: Doctors of the World News - October 14, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Coalition calls for the immediate suspension of NHS charging to prevent more COVID-19 deaths over the winter
Charging migrants for hospital services is putting lives and public health at risk, and could undermine the UK’s COVID-19 response, warns a coalition of academics, non-governmental organisations, professional bodies and people with lived experience of healthcare exclusion. Today, Doctors of the World UK (DOTW), Lancet Migration: global collaboration to advance migration health, and the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) are launching a coalition campaign to call for universal and equitable access to NHS services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. More than 30 organisations have already joined the Hands Up for Our Healt...
Source: Doctors of the World News - October 6, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Greece: Doctors of the World helping those affected by fire in Moria camp
Doctors of the World is responding on the Greek island of Lesvos after a large fire at Moria refugee camp overnight. Shelters and health facilities in Moria – Greece’s largest refugee camp – were destroyed in the blaze. More than 12,000 men, women and children are now homeless and in dire need of humanitarian assistance, while 37 people with confirmed COVID-19 are missing. Moria refugee camp was destroyed by fire overnight. Photo credit: @th_voulgarakis Doctors of the World runs healthcare programmes at Kara Tepe camp, the overflow site for Moria on Lesvos. Our field coordinator on Lesvos, Constanti...
Source: Doctors of the World News - September 9, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Part 2: How I ’m helping rough sleepers in London access healthcare
Continued from Part 1. We come across one rough sleeper we know from our previous outreach work – a gentleman, who we think is somewhere in his 60s. He’s been in the City of London for years and he’s been a rough sleeper, all around London, for decades. He is somebody who doesn’t engage with homeless support services. Often, if anybody approaches him, he starts to walk away straight away, or he’ll start shouting at you asking you to leave. If you do manage to ask him a few questions, he’ll give you a few answers, and then he’ll quickly get very angry and ask you to leave. This gentleman, unfortunately, had to...
Source: Doctors of the World News - August 14, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Part 1: How I ’m helping rough sleepers in London access healthcare
Doctors of the World UK (DOTW) is working to improve rough sleepers’ access to healthcare in the City of London. We have secured new funding from the City of London Corporation to run weekly outreach sessions until July 2021, in partnership with homeless charity St Mungo’s. The service is being led by our mobile clinic coordinator Dr Durga Sivasathiaseelan and follows a successful six-month pilot project. Durga shares her experience returning to the streets of London to support this vulnerable population. The city feels like it’s changed. Pubs, bars and restaurants are open again, and everyone is...
Source: Doctors of the World News - August 14, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Lebanon: DOTW teams delivering emergency aid and psychological support in Beirut
Doctors of the World (DOTW) is providing emergency aid and psychological support in Beirut, Lebanon, following the deadly explosion on 4 August 2020.  At least 157 people were killed and about 5,000 injured by the blast, which destroyed a large part of the city and left hundreds of thousands homeless.  “…The explosion destroyed three hospitals in the capital and the Lebanese health system is completely overwhelmed,” DOTW’s coordinator in Lebanon, Bernadette Farcy.   DOTW has launched an emergency appeal to help those affected. Please, if you can, support our teams responding in Beirut by making a donation. ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - August 10, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

“You are doing an amazing job”: Swell of support for DOTW’s helpline team
During COVID-19, our helpline team has been working tirelessly to answer calls from vulnerable people across the UK. The advice line is often a patient’s first point of contact and our staff and volunteers ensure they get the support they need, whether that’s help to understand coronavirus guidance, register with a GP, get essential medication, or link up with other services. The pandemic has made it even harder for vulnerable people to access healthcare and demand for our services continues to increase. In June alone, the helpline team supported nearly 200 people. We recently asked our supporters to send the team a me...
Source: Doctors of the World News - July 31, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

DOTW calls for UK Government to produce and maintain translated COVID-19 guidance
Doctors of the World UK (DOTW) and over 20 local authorities, public health bodies and non-profit organisations have written to the UK Government to express concern at the lack of COVID-19 public health guidance in languages other than English. This is preventing people in England who do not speak or read English well from accessing essential public health information and limiting their ability to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe, the group warns. The Greater London Authority and Faculty of Public Health are among 29 signatories to the letter spearheaded by DOTW and sent to Secretary of State for...
Source: Doctors of the World News - July 28, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised coronavirus letter pandemic public health translated guidance UK government Source Type: news

Rohingya refugee crisis: “I want to be educated and become a doctor”
Doctors of the World/Médecins du Monde is responding to COVID-19 in the sprawling refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh, which are home to about one million Rohingya refugees. Our teams work with Rohingya volunteers and our local partner PULSE Bangladesh to improve healthcare in the camps and raise awareness about COVID-19 so that residents can protect themselves. Tasmin (not her real name) is a young Rohingya woman who has volunteered as a youth educator. She shared her story with us, just prior to COVID-19’s arrival in Cox’s Bazar. “We Rohingya are a minority ethnic group who have li...
Source: Doctors of the World News - July 3, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised COVID-19 health promotion refugee camp refugees Rohingya Rohingya refugee crisis testimony Source Type: news

Why we ’re asking the PM to reverse the DFID-FCO merger
Doctors of the World UK signs an open letter asking the UK Government to reconsider the DFID-FCO merger, which will hurt the world’s poorest. On Monday, 22 June, we joined nearly 200 NGOs and think tanks in writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask that he reconsider his decision to merge the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO). Spearheaded by the British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND), the open letter highlights DFID’s excellent record on humanitarian assistance and warns the merger risks jeopardising the UK’s global COVID-19 response and the U...
Source: Doctors of the World News - July 1, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised bond DFID goverment letter migrants minister Source Type: news

Refugee Week: 7 ways you can get involved and support refugees
During Refugee Week 2020 (June 15-21), we invite you to support refugees and our work in seven simple ways. These can all be done from the comfort of your home and are inspired by this year’s theme ‘Imagine’. This year, Refugee Week comes amid a global pandemic, which has put health at the forefront of people’s minds. This week is the perfect opportunity to not only celebrate refugees’ contributions and resilience, but also to call for their protection and universal access to healthcare. By following these seven simple steps you can join us in imagining a better world for refugees. 1. See the ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - June 19, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Britney Sacopon Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

“ I did not ask to be born in Venezuela ”
Emmanuel Serrano is a policy and advocacy officer at Doctors of the World UK. He is also a Venezuelan refugee. For years the South American country has been plagued by violence, instability and political turmoil, forcing millions to flee. According to the International Organization for Migration, approximately five million migrants and refugees have left Venezuela in what is one of the world’s biggest recent displacement crises.  Emmanuel has been living in the UK for nearly two years and wanted to share his story. Doctors of the World UK policy and advocacy officer, Emmanuel Serrano. “I d...
Source: Doctors of the World News - June 19, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

Refugee Week: “ I did not ask to be born in Venezuela ”
Emmanuel Serrano is a policy and advocacy officer at Doctors of the World UK. He is also a Venezuelan refugee. For years the South American country has been plagued by violence, instability and political turmoil, forcing millions to flee. According to the International Organization for Migration, approximately five million migrants and refugees have left Venezuela in what is one of the world’s biggest recent displacement crises.  Emmanual has been living in the UK for nearly two years and wanted to share his story during Refugee Week.  Doctors of the World UK policy and advocacy officer, Emman...
Source: Doctors of the World News - June 19, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news

“I feel privileged to help”: Meet Doctors of the World’s longest-serving volunteer
Fourteen years ago, midwife Bettina Wanninkhof picked up a newspaper article that would kickstart a long and fulfilling career volunteering with Doctors of the World. Bettina has reflected on her many years supporting excluded people to access healthcare during Volunteers’ Week, June 1-7. Bettina Wanninkhof (right) is Doctors of the World’s longest-serving volunteer. How long have you been a midwife? I commenced my midwifery training in 1990 after five years working as a paediatric nurse. I went on to work full-time as a hospital midwife in southwest London until the end of 2004 when I enrolled on a Ma...
Source: Doctors of the World News - June 5, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Kim Vlasic Tags: Uncategorised Doctors of the World support worker volunteer Source Type: news