Singaporean medical and other professionals have long history with Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offering life-saving medical humanitarian assistance around the world as part of our diverse and dedicated teams.
Since 2002, 43 professionals from Singapore (51% medical) have departed on 117 different MSF assignments globally where they delivered direct impacts and contributed to skills exchanges.
I'm not the first or only doctor from Singapore to do this - far from it. Many of us go because we want to serve. And by sharing our stories, we deepen other's understanding of the world.Dr Deborah Khoo, Anaesthesiologist
Our presence and engagement in Singapore is a long-term commitment to contribute our field-based medical humanitarian expertise, operational research, and data-driven insights to Southeast Asian health preparedness efforts.
Singapore plays a critical role in advancing regional and global health responses. As a trusted international hub for public health leadership, medical innovation, and policy dialogue, Singapore offers MSF an opportunity to strengthen its impact across Southeast Asia and the broader Asia Pacific region, particularly in safeguarding public health and climate-health resilience.
- MSF's Focus in Singapore
1. Strengthening Public Health Safeguarding
Preparedness Against Emerging Outbreak ThreatsWith an ongoing operational presence across 15 countries in Asia and decades of outbreak response experience, including work during SARS and subsequent regional epidemics, MSF provides early insights into emerging infectious diseases, health system vulnerabilities, and the public health impacts of conflict and displacement. These insights are increasingly vital as global funding for outbreak preparedness declines and authorities need to rapidly adapt their approaches. Read more on MSF’s participation at the Singapore AMR Symposium 2025.
Policy-Relevant Evidence
MSF contributes field-based evidence to inform public health policies, preparedness frameworks, and scenario-planning discussions. By sharing real-world operational data insights, MSF supports prevention strategies, foresight work, and cross-sector dialogue on emerging health risks.
Academic and Operational Research Partnerships
MSF has established a formal partnership with the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) to advance joint learning, research, and capacity-building initiatives.
This partnership provides a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange in areas such as outbreak response, climate and health, anti-microbial resistance, health policy and regulatory systems, and operational research. It enables engagement between academic experts and MSF field teams aimed at translating operational experience and academic expertise into practical approaches relevant to humanitarian settings.
2. Advancing Climate-Health Integration and Adapting Care
Building Evidence on Climate-Related Health Risks
MSF contributes critical field-based data and operational evidence on climate sensitive health risks, including extreme heat, climate-sensitive diseases and climate-related displacement. These insights help strengthen understanding of climate-related health impacts in humanitarian and resource-constrained contexts.
Field Evidence for Policy Action
By sharing operational insights from frontline settings, MSF helps illuminate how climate change exacerbates health system vulnerabilities, supporting the development of targeted, evidence-based interventions for adaptive healthcare.
Collaboration with Climate and Health InstitutesMSF has established a formal partnership with the Heat Resilience & Performance Centre (HRPC), based at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore to advance applied research and operational learning on heat and health in vulnerable populations.
This collaboration focuses on strengthening evidence, tools, and policy engagement around heat risk, occupational exposure, and climate resilience, and includes joint engagement through the regional Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Southeast Asia Hub, based at the HRPC, to support MSF’s field programmes and regional climate-health priorities.
Policy Dialogues and Scenario Planning
Through climate-health policy dialogues and foresight exercises, MSF contributes insights from our field realities to discussions that shape future climate and public health strategies, encouraging innovative, integrated solutions at the intersection of climate change and health.
3. Climate Resilience for Global Humanitarian Action
Climate resilience is essential to effective humanitarian action. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and climate-induced migration increasingly shape health needs in the world’s most vulnerable settings.
By advancing climate-health initiatives from Singapore, MSF strengthens its own operational readiness while aligning with Singapore’s goals of promoting global health security and resilience. This shared commitment positions Singapore as a key partner for MSF in addressing climate-related humanitarian challenges and reinforcing global solidarity.
- Events & Updates
Learn more about MSF’s upcoming events in Singapore here, as well as accessing more information on recent interactions.
CURRENT EVENTSMSF at Asia Dengue Summit 2026
Frontline Medicine with MSF: Ebola, Dengue and Outbreak Response in Fragile Settings
PAST EVENTS
MSF x NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Talk: Global Health in a Destabilised World Order
Singapore AMR Symposium 2025
Global Access to Vaccines Talk with NUS BISI
19th Singapore PHOM Conference- Perspective & Opinion
Read perspectives from our field projects and topic experts to gain new insights on addressing the world's most pressing medical humanitarian challenges.
- MSF in the News
2024
Aid workers getting killed sign of decreasing respect for international law: Doctors Without Borders
Channel NewsAsia interview with MSF Secretary General, Christopher LockyearClimate action must include healthcare for the most vulnerable
Straits Times Opinion Piece by MSF Secretary General, Christopher Lockyear
2025Gunshot wounds, broken limbs: This Doctors Without Borders volunteer treated trauma and injury in conflict zones
Channel NewsAsia feature on Dr Deborah Khoo, Singaporean anaesthesiologist who volunteered with MSF in AfghanistanLet humanitarian organisations do their jobs in Gaza
Straits Times Opinion Piece by MSF Secretary General, Christopher Lockyear‘Hell on earth’: Doctors Without Borders’ aid worker on starvation in Gaza
Channel NewsAsia interview with Claire Manera, MSF Emergency Coordinator in GazaGaza situation ‘only getting worse’ amid growing aid delivery challenges: Doctors Without Borders
Channel NewsAsia interview with MSF International Medical Secretary, Dr Maria Guevara'The situation is horrific': Doctors Without Borders coordinator on Gaza's health crisis
Channel NewsAsia interview with Claire Manera, MSF Emergency Coordinator in Gaza
2026Rules of war 'increasingly abandoned' in Middle East conflict: MSF president
Channel NewsAsia interview with Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, MSF International President
Engage with us
We are always eager to explore collaborations with academic institutions, policymakers, philanthropic partners, and organisations interested in advancing public health, climate resilience, and humanitarian innovation.
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Donate to the Medical Solidarity Fund
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is pleased to partner with Asia Community Foundation (ACF) to establish the Medical Solidarity Fund (M.S.F Fund) in Singapore. Giving through ACF provides a trusted and compliant platform for philanthropy in Singapore, ensuring appropriate due diligence and regulatory safeguards so that donations are channeled responsibly to support MSF’s lifesaving work.
Through this partnership, donors (individuals / corporates / foundations) in Singapore can support MSF’s independent medical humanitarian work in conflict zones, disease outbreaks, and other crises worldwide. Contributions help deliver emergency medical care, protect vulnerable communities, and strengthen health systems where needs are greatest.
The minimum contribution to the Fund is SGD 10,000, and all donors will be required to complete ACF’s Know-Your-Donor (KYD) screening process, including anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) checks. Please register your interest using the form below.
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