Targeting assistance to rural populations
International staff: 37
National staff: 120
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The gulf between the riches of China's east coast cities and
the abject poverty of its rural regions continues to widen,
with a disastrous effect on health care. Many medical professionals
have left rural areas; the poorest people cannot
pay for the health care they need. MSF continues to provide
basic care and tuberculosis (TB) treatment to some of the
most vulnerable people.
In Guangxi province, MSF focuses on quality and access
to care for Miao, Dong and Yao minority people in Danian
and Gongdong. A health economist has worked to increase
MSF understanding of how the local health system functions,
its cost and its acceptance by the local people. This
has led to more targeted training and better follow-up of
a network of village doctors. MSF has also begun training
midwives in Gongdong. Treating TB is an important part
of MSF work in Guangxi. From 1999 to mid-2002, around
200 patients were treated.
In Shaanxi province, MSF provides medical care and
social support for 45-50 children at a public welcome center
in the city of Baoji. Transferred from detention after
being picked up on the streets, these children – mostly boys
aged from 4 to 17 – also receive food and educational assistance.
An integrated water supply and hygiene promotion
program initiated in early 2001 continues to improve public
health in poor villages in Kashgar prefecture in Xinjiang
Uighur Autonomous Region. MSF is now looking at ways
to become involved in AIDS prevention, care and treatment
both here and in Henan province.
MSF is phasing out some projects after reevaluating its
work in several regions. Since 1993, MSF has attempted several
basic care projects in Tibet Autonomous Region and
has also helped Tibetans affected by Kashin-Beck or Big Bone
disease, a painful progressive joint disease. However, it
has found it impossible to work either within the collapsing
public medical system, or independently, and stay
close to people in need. MSF has thus decided to end its
existing projects in Tibet by the end of 2002.
A TB program in Nujiang prefecture of Yunnan province
closed in June 2002. MSF was only able to achieve a 50-60%
cure rate (the target was 85%) after treating 355 patients
since 1999. Work to increase AIDS awareness and promote
prevention among high-risk groups in Liangshan prefecture
of Sichuan province and in Yunnan province also ended in
summer 2002.
MSF was forced to cease work in North Korea in 1998
because of lack of access to people in need and lack of independence
to carry out its programs. MSF continues to decry
the abysmal conditions and state of famine within North
Korea and the disappearance and manipulation of food aid
given by donor countries. MSF is also supporting North
Korean refugees in China through a local network of assistance.
In a statement before the US Congress in May 2002, MSF
urged the Chinese government and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees to ensure protection and assistance
for North Korean refugees in China.
MSF has been working in China since 1988.
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