Every year, thousands are wounded or die in armed conflict around the world. Civilians account for the vast majority of the casualties. In 2009, more than half of MSF projects were in armed conflict or internally unstable settings.

Populations affected by armed conflict require comprehensive medical and humanitarian support. These populations may be victims of harassment, attacks, rapes and killings. They may be weakened, subordinated or forcibly displaced from their homes, looking for refuge within or outside their home countries.

In an environment of such destruction and disruption of healthcare systems, medical, surgical and psychological care is needed. Indirect effects of conflict and instability, including a collapse of general infrastructures and a ruined economy, also lead to suffering. As a result, people are excluded from essential medical care and services, and can be devastated by epidemics such as AIDS, TB, malaria, or lesser known diseases such as sleeping sickness.　

Now, you can live the experience of as a woman trying to survive the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo or an MSF surgeon working in Gaza on our latest thematic website "Living in Conflict".