Doctors Without Borders has stepped up its activities in Ethiopia dramatically this year because of what it calls “alarming” rates of malnutrition. The following text is from a post on the MSF Web site:
Though malnutrition is always present in Ethiopia, this year’s lack of rain, rising food costs, and inconsistent food distributions have made the situation much worse, with rates of severe malnutrition reaching alarming levels.
Since May 13, MSF teams have responded by continually scaling up activities where they work in the Oromiya and Southern Nations and Nationalities People’s regions (SNNPR); more than 20,000 children have been treated for severe malnutrition to date. In Oromiya, MSF opened stabilization centers to provide 24-hour medical care to severely malnourished children also suffering from complications such as malaria or pneumonia. In both regions, MSF treats children not suffering from additional complications on an outpatient basis, providing them with therapeutic food and monitoring their condition.
That pretty much sums up why Allyson is working there. She’s keeping kids from starving. What can we do to help? We can give money to Doctors Without Borders. We can also send good vibes, thoughts, prayers, whatever-works-for-you to Allyson — and, more importantly, to all those people she and her colleagues serve in Ethiopia.
