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MSF Scientific Days in Latin America 2024 focused on two thematic areas:

Climate Emergency in the Americas: What Are We Seeing as a Medical Humanitarian Organization and How Are We Responding?

• MSF has long responded to health crises aggravated by the climate emergency —such as disease outbreaks, food insecurity, and displacement—and these events are intensifying in severity and frequency. This session presented examples of how MSF is adapting to address climate-related emergencies in the region, and explored strategies for future humanitarian action.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Interventions in Violence, Migration, and Indigenous Health Projects

• This session explored the complexities of providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in some of the region’s most challenging settings. It focused on interventions in areas affected by violence, the mental health impact on migrants, and the unique needs of indigenous populations. The discussion highlighted innovative strategies, culturally sensitive approaches, and the importance of integrating MHPSS into healthcare projects in these complex settings.

Noma, also known as cancrum oris, is a rapidly progressing life-threatening infection that affects the mouth and face. Noma is preventable and easy to treat if addressed in the early reversible stages, but most often deadly if untreated. The disease most commonly affects children who are chronically malnourished or whose immune systems are otherwise compromised. Noma affects an estimated 140,000 children annually. Noma was added to the WHO's list of Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2023.

MSF is working to discover more about noma. This collection highlights MSF's mixed methods research on treatment outcomes, burden of disease, attitudes towards the disease and other aspects of noma.

For more information on MSF's work on noma, you can also visit https://noma.msf.org/.