Dear friends:
As conflict and war worldwide intensify and the crises from natural disasters and epidemics remain severe, humanitarian aid has become more vital than ever. But the immense needs cannot be met through the efforts of any single organisation or humanitarian worker alone. Only when people from different walks of life stand in solidarity with those facing crises by combining their skills, efforts and resources, can we collectively cope. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was built on this foundation of solidarity and humanity to deliver impartial medical care and assistance for over 50 years.
In 2025, MSF teams witnessed firsthand how crises, both protracted and emerging—whether nearby or far—imposed profound physical and psychological trauma on vulnerable communities. The devastation caused by war and conflict was particularly harrowing: Sudan remained the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and Gaza endured ongoing genocide. Casualties and suffering in both locations were immense, and access to basic services and medical care was undermined and obstructed. Sudan has been marked by massacres, malnutrition and horrific levels of sexual violence, while in Gaza the Israeli military deliberately deprived Palestinians of water and food as a weapon of war. People in both places were forced to live under conditions that threaten their survival daily. Despite the fact that our teams spared no effort to keep treating crippling trauma wounds and tried to sustain essential healthcare, the situation remained catastrophic.
Despite these dark times, we did witness the vital impact and strength that global solidarity can bring. The people of South Sudan faced their worst-ever cholera outbreak for the second consecutive year, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo an Ebola Disease outbreak emerged in September (At the time of writing, a much larger, new outbreak is surging in the DRC). MSF worked alongside other international and local organisations to contain transmission and save lives wherever possible.
A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar claimed over 5,000 lives and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure, compounding an already precarious crisis in the country. MSF teams established mobile clinics and provided emergency relief supplies, water and sanitation facilities, along with mental health support in the disaster zones. And here, in Hong Kong, when the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire brought tragedy and loss, our staff and fieldworkers mobilised as part of Hong Kong society to provide mental health support and essential donations to help volunteers, social workers, and migrant caregivers cope with post-disaster stress and cover unmet needs.
And while we saw flashes of hope in global solidarity, the threats to this lifeline did not yield. In 2025, the World Health Organization’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care recorded 1,348 related incidents, resulting in 1,981 deaths – among them six MSF colleagues killed in Gaza. The price vulnerable communities paid for huge cuts to states’ international aid programmes and humanitarian organisations’ budgets was high: people went without drinking water in Haiti, HIV medication in Honduras, and maternal care in South Sudan and therapeutic milk for malnourished children in Somalia. With 99.7% of MSF’s budget secured through private donor support, our projects were shielded from direct impacts but the widening gaps in medical care where others are affected, places increasing pressure on our projects.
We know how difficult the path of humanitarian action can be. But our determination remains firm because we know we don’t walk alone. MSF can only step in to help because we are staffed and funded by people who share our values. We are deeply grateful to our supporters in Hong Kong for your continued attention and support, making our work possible through sustained donations.
In a world where crises are escalating and space for humanitarian action is threatened, your solidarity ensures our teams respond quickly, independently, and impartially. Thank you for standing with us — and with people in urgent need of medical care around the world.
