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MSF Access
@msfaccess.org
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 3h
In the past 3 years, Poland has taken steps to improve TB treatment access by aligning national policies with WHO recommendations. But, many EU & EEA countries have not updated their guidelines and continue to grapple with barriers in accessing effective medicines and treatment.
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 3h
Olga*, a person living with DR-TB in Warsaw, was started on the all-oral, six-month DR-TB regimen as recommended by the WHO to replace the previous DR-TB treatment regimen which was less effective and more toxic.
"Following the previous treatment regimen would have been a death sentence for me and my loved ones. Thanks to the possibility of accessing modern outpatient treatment in Poland, I was able to receive care in the best possible conditions - that is in my own home, being with my loved ones. This treatment allowed me to recover without sacrificing family life, work, or mental health." Olga*, DR-TB survivor. *Name changed to maintain anonymity. 
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 3h
MSF first witnessed the systemic gaps in access to WHO-recommended #tuberculosis treatments in 2022 when we launched a response in Poland to assist Ukrainian refugees and other migrants in accessing tuberculosis treatment.

A TB survivor shared her experience 🧵
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 3h
At a panel discussion yesterday in Brussels, we urged policymakers, parliamentarians, regulatory agencies, and procurement bodies in the EU and the EEA to take urgent steps to bridge the gap in accessing tuberculosis treatment in the region.

msfaccess.org/msf-urges-eu...
"We urge policymakers, parliamentarians, procurement bodies and regulatory agencies in the EU/EEA to act fast to bridge this deadly treatment gap otherwise the goal of eliminating TB for countries in Europe will remain a distant dream." Joanna Ładomirska, Medical Coordinator for MSF in Poland "Addressing the growing resurgence of TB in Europe is only possible with strong political will. It’s time for Europe to revive its fight against this preventable yet deadly disease, and guarantee access to the most advanced and effective treatment for everyone who needs it." Marc Biot, Regional Coordinator, MSF Access
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 2d
⏰ Tomorrow! Don’t miss our panel on improving access to TB medicines in EU/EEA. People with TB still face barriers to effective treatment & prevention, let's discuss solutions.

Register Now👉 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 7d
People with TB in EU and EEA still face limited access to effective treatment and prevention medicines. How can we fix that? On 14 Oct, join our panel discussion on how to improve the availability and affordability of TB medicines in the region.

Register us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 15d
Ahead of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Committee, MSF shared challenges in addressing antimicrobial resistance in fragile & conflict settings, where it's critical to measure access gaps & improve availability of diagnostics & antibiotics.

www.emro.who.int/media/news/i...
WHO EMRO - Integrating antimicrobial stewardship and infection control in primary health care facilities
www.emro.who.int
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 18d
While most countries agreed to the UN HLM Declaration on prevention & control of NCDs & mental health, it was not adopted.

We urge countries to adopt the Declaration as it stands at the earliest opportunity & act to ensure equitable & affordable access to medical tools for all.
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 19d
We welcome the agreement to provide ground-breaking HIV prevention drug at $40 in 2027, but global plans need to prioritise key populations and include the low- and middle-income countries to ensure sustainable access for all who need it.

msfaccess.org/msf-supports...
MSF Supports $40 PrEP Access by 2027, Demands Broader Reach and more Ambition to End HIV Epidemic
MSF welcomes the new $40 Lenacapavir agreement for 2027, but urges inclusion of key populations and LMICs currently left out of the license.
msfaccess.org
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 21d
Governments must agree on the most ambitious and concretely actionable political declaration to ensure access to insulin and diabetes care to all who need it, including during emergencies and in humanitarian settings.

msfaccess.org/what-it-mean...
What it means to lose access to diabetes care: stories from people living with diabetes around the world
Managing diabetes is complicated. Even with access to the best tools and technology, it requires constant blood sugar level monitoring and daily treatment in the form of medication or insulin.
msfaccess.org
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 21d
More than 800 million people have diabetes, the majority of whom live in low- and middle-income countries.

For people with type 1 diabetes, insulin is lifesaving, but it is often unavailable in low-resource and emergency settings, and unaffordable elsewhere.
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 21d
⏰ Tomorrow, governments will gather at the United Nations High Level Meeting (UN HLM) in New York to agree to a political declaration that will guide them on how to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – including diabetes – and mental health until 2030.

🧵
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 22d
What happens when people face challenges accessing the diabetes care they need?

Hear from Lecritia, Sana, and Ghassan, whose lives were impacted when they had to manage their diabetes without access to the medical tools they needed and preferred.

msfaccess.org/what-it-mean...
What it means to lose access to diabetes care: stories from people living with diabetes around the world
Managing diabetes is complicated. Even with access to the best tools and technology, it requires constant blood sugar level monitoring and daily treatment in the form of medication or insulin.
msfaccess.org
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
Scientists who discovered #insulin over 100 years ago envisioned a world where everyone could access diabetes treatment.

And yet, diabetes treatment is too often unavailable or unaffordable.

Learn more ⬇️
youtube.com/watch?v=v6R17w1pD0A&feature=youtu.be
Diabetes (r)evolution(s)
YouTube video by MSF Access Campaign
youtube.com
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
Limited access to glucose monitoring or treatment, like insulin, can turn diabetes into a life-threatening condition.

Read how corporate decisions, conflict, or displacement affected people’s access to diabetes management tools:

msfaccess.org/what-it-mean...
What it means to lose access to diabetes care: stories from people living with diabetes around the world
Managing diabetes is complicated. Even with access to the best tools and technology, it requires constant blood sugar level monitoring and daily treatment in the form of medication or insulin.
msfaccess.org
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
About this experience, Ghassan said, “obviously getting access to any insulin was the main thing, but it would have been so much easier for me with #pens, which are convenient, and the injection is light and painless.”
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
Cut off from his regular insulin supply and unable to maintain proper blood sugar control, Ghassan endured dangerous glucose fluctuations leading to life-threatening diabetic comas, all while navigating treacherous migration routes.
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
When Ghassan ran out of insulin, he tried to buy more but it was too expensive: “When insulin was unavailable, I tried to adjust to my circumstances, I reduced my food intake and exercised and walked around in order to try to keep my blood sugar levels down.”
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 23d
Fleeing home while managing #diabetes can mean losing reliable access to insulin which, in turn, risks severe health consequences, even death.

Ghassan undertook a long, difficult journey with a limited supply of insulin.

How did he manage his treatment?

🧵
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 27d
Read more about what it means when access to the diabetes monitoring tools or treatment you use everyday is disrupted:
msfaccess.org/what-it-mean...
What it means to lose access to diabetes care: stories from people living with diabetes around the world
Managing diabetes is complicated. Even with access to the best tools and technology, it requires constant blood sugar level monitoring and daily treatment in the form of medication or insulin.
msfaccess.org
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 27d
Sana was using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to monitor her blood sugar levels independently and discreetly.

However, war disrupted her access to free CGMs, so she switched to finger-prick devices which she's less comfortable with. As a result, Sana monitors less often.
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 27d
Managing #diabetes while living through a conflict can be challenging, especially when access to medical tools is disrupted.

After the war broke out in Lebanon in 2024, Sana (14) had to change the way she monitored her blood glucose levels.

🧵
youtu.be/eg0BAJKtTXI
Sana’s story: what conflict meant for access to diabetes medical tools in Lebanon
YouTube video by MSF Access Campaign
youtu.be
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 28d
Access to affordable and preferred medical tools – like insulin pens – can be a huge challenge.

Often, people face additional barriers in accessing the diabetes medical tools they need:

msfaccess.org/what-it-mean...
What it means to lose access to diabetes care: stories from people living with diabetes around the world
Managing diabetes is complicated. Even with access to the best tools and technology, it requires constant blood sugar level monitoring and daily treatment in the form of medication or insulin.
msfaccess.org
msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 28d
Although Novo Nordisk committed (as of June 2025) to supply South Africa with another type of insulin pens – analogues – the price of these pens is still too high, and may not result in equitable access.
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msfaccess.org
MSF Access @msfaccess.org · 28d
“The main fear is just having those vials break.”

Lecritia, from South Africa, is comfortable using insulin pens.

She reacted to possibly switching back to less convenient vials & syringes due to a decision by Novo Nordisk to discontinue human insulin pens (recorded in 2024).
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