20 London Life
@ Julien Dewarichet / MSF
Prioritising compassion
Before the Dancing at London’ s South Bank Oxo Gallery provided a detailed look at one of the most significant health emergencies of the year – the outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo( DRC) – and Médecins Sans Frontières’( MSF) role as a key part of the international response
This multimedia exhibition in October featured photos, videos and testimony from MSF’ s work around the deadliest outbreak of disease in the African region’ s history.
Copyright MSF / Alexis Huguet
Human experiences
Visitors were able to look beyond the protective suits to better understand the people working hard every day to help control the outbreak, treat patients and to share the human experiences behind the headlines.
Featuring imagery from the treatment centre at Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, the exhibition aimed to destigmatise the reporting around Ebola care, capturing moments of hope and recovery, from frontline medical care to the resilience of patients, healthcare workers and affected communities.
Creative approaches
MSF UK’ s executive director Natalie Roberts went to the DRC shortly after the start of the outbreak as emergency co-ordinator for the Ebola response and explained: " Over the last decade, MSF’ s approach to Ebola care has evolved significantly. While the need to protect health workers and make Ebola treatment centres safe places for staff and patients still poses significant challenges, we have pioneered creative approaches to providing high-level, quality medical care; care that not only alleviates the symptoms of Ebola but greatly improves the likelihood of survival from the disease. As medical humanitarians, we put patients and their families and communities more than ever at the centre of their care, prioritising compassion and their experience above all."
www. msf. org. uk
Copyright MSF / Alexis Huguet