Everyday Emergency

What next for medical aid in Gaza?

Last year in Gaza, MSF assisted in one in three births, supported one in five hospital beds, and provided 800,000 medical consultations. This year, however, our teams have faced the prospect that our operations in the Strip could be forced to close. In this episode, we talk to nursing activity manager Steve Davidson and field communications officer Nour Alsaqqa: two people with firsthand knowledge of MSF’s work in Gaza, the life-saving impact it’s having, and what would be lost if it couldn’t continue. Presented by Amber DowellEdited by Sandy McKeePhoto: Motassem Abu Aser Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A crisis in the crossfire: Making childbirth safer in Northern Nigeria

In Northern Nigeria, the conflict between government forces and armed groups is hitting communities hard. Vast numbers have been forced to flee, grabbing what they can, leaving behind their homes and livelihoods.Amid the fear, kidnapping and violence, another crisis is unfolding: the number of women dying in pregnancy or childbirth is among the highest in the world, with one woman dying of these complications every seven minutes according to figures from the UN.In this episode of Everyday Emergency, we're joined by Hauwa Tanko Audu, a health promotion supervisor, who tells us how the MSF team in the city of Maiduguri are working to ensure women and newborns have access to life-saving care.Presented by Amber DowellEdited by Sandy McKeePhoto: Eugene Osidiana / MSF Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moments that mattered: MSF's life-saving work in 2025

For this special episode of Everyday Emergency, we’re taking a look back at MSF’s work over the last 12 months. This year, MSF teams were on the ground during some of the world's biggest crises. We provided essential medical care as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine continued, violence escalated in Sudan, and millions of people across the globe were caught up in crises that didn’t always make the headlines - from deadly disease outbreaks and natural disasters, to growing malnutrition. If you would like to support our life-saving medical work around the world, please visit msf.org.uk to make a donation. Thank you. Presented by Amber Dowell Sound production and editing by Sandy McKee Written and produced by Kate Lee Series production by Mark Lankester Photo: MSF

The unexpected power of play: Healing children in humanitarian crises

In almost any humanitarian crisis – from disease outbreaks to conflict zones – children are among the most vulnerable. Last year alone, almost half of all patients admitted to MSF hospitals around the world were children under the age of five. But, while access to medical care is absolutely essential, for our youngest patients, there is something else that improves their health, promotes recovery and helps them develop: play. In this episode of Everyday Emergency, we speak to Katherine Hajji-Omer-Olu. She is a child life specialist who has been working with MSF teams around the world to harness the power of play and help children living through healthcare crises to access the benefits of this perhaps unexpected humanitarian work. If you would like to support our life-saving medical work around the world, please visit msf.org.uk to make a donation. Thank you. Presented by Amber Dowell Edited by Sandy McKee Photo: MSF

Art in the aftermath: Ella Baron on assignment in Ukraine

The artist and political cartoonist Ella Baron has recently returned from Ukraine, where she worked with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) patients to create a series of drawings and interviews about their experiences. The patients ranged from young men injured in drone attacks to grandmothers who have lost their homes and loved ones. The images go beyond simple portraits to explore the physical and emotional impact of the war. With the works now on display in a public exhibition at Kings College in London, Ella joins us for a special episode. Ella was in Ukraine on assignment for the Guardian, where her drawings were originally published. MSF teams were already working in Ukraine at the time of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Since then we have expanded our operations to cover mobile clinics, surgery, and mental health support. To support MSF’s work in Ukraine and around the world, sign up as a regular donor or make a one-off gift.