At MSF, care is not only about treating illness or injury, it is also about supporting people to regain dignity, confidence and control over their own lives. In many of the contexts where MSF works, patients have experienced conflict, displacement, exclusion, trauma or serious illness. Their choices may have been limited, their voices ignored, and their futures disrupted.
Through medical care, mental health support, health promotion, community engagement and patient-centred services, MSF teams work alongside patients so they can be heard, informed and involved in decisions about their own care. This means creating safe spaces for people to speak openly, ensuring they understand their treatment options, and supporting them to rebuild their lives beyond the immediate crisis.
Mustafa, TB Survivor from Karachi, Pakistan
“He’s back at school and wants to play cricket again. I hope he will become a doctor and treat others the way he was treated here. If he studies, he will be able to tell others that TB treatment can be done this way.”
-Mustafa's Father
Rofika, a Rohingya refugee from Bangladesh
“ When I got the medicine, I felt such immense relief, thinking about the possible cure from this disease.”
Rofika
Rohingya Refugee
Mohammad Faruq, Rohingya refugee in Cox’s Bazar
“If I stay silent just because I have suffered, it won’t work. I must talk to someone else and ask for help from those who can show me the way.”
Mohommad Faruq
Rohingya Refugee
Sunita*, HIV Survivor
Remember, your courage is all you have. It is what saves you in the end.
Sunita*
HIV Survivor
Mafeefa Naveed, Patient at MSF-supported PMDT clinic in Gujranwal
“If I stay silent just because I have suffered, it won’t work. I must talk to someone else and ask for help from those who can show me the way.”
Mafeefa Naveed
TB Survivor
Jan Akbar, A diabetic patient
Before this clinic, even for a minor treatment, we spent 9,000 rupees (Rs) just on travel [to reach a hospital]. It was unbearable for us.
Jan Akbar
Diabetic patient from Tirah Valley, Pakistan
Zainab, TB Survivor
The doctors in the public hospital referred me to Kandahar for treatment. I’m improving and recovering with each passing day. When I first came here, I didn’t think I would survive.
Zainab
TB Survivor from Afghanistan
Rakesh*, an HIV survivor
Living with HIV taught me resilience. I survived years without treatment, faced life-threatening complications, and battled stigma. But I want others to know: this is not the end. With proper medication, timely treatment, and a disciplined lifestyle, people living with HIV can lead fulfilling lives.
Rakesh*
HIV Survivor from Patna, Bihar
Deepak Shegar, TB Survivor
On those difficult days, my family was my rock. Their unwavering support kept me going,
Deepak Shegar
TB Survivor from Mumbai
Nisha*, HIV Survivor from Patna, Bihar
“Living with advanced HIV is not just a physical challenge; it affects your mind and spirit too. The mental health support I received was critical in helping me face my fears, the stigma, and the uncertainty.”
Moslima, a mother from Bamyan, Afghanista
Before this clinic was built, we used to give birth at home. We didn’t have access to midwives or even vaccines.
Moslima
Mother from Afghanistan
In each case, MSF’s role is not to speak for patients, but to help create the conditions where they can speak for themselves with dignity, agency and hope. By listening to patients’ experiences and responding to their needs, MSF supports people not only to survive, but to reclaim their voice, their choices and their lives.
