Victoria swaps holidays for hot spots
Looking forward to going abroad? Victoria Parris does although it rarely involves a sun lounger or the beach.
The infectious diseases consultant from Ealing Hospital spends several months a year working for Médecins Sans Frontières, a humanitarian organisation delivering emergency medical aid and care to people whose lives have been uprooted by war or natural disaster.
Victoria’s postings have included Armenia and Bangladesh (pictured left above) where she helped refugees fleeing the Rohingya genocide in neighbouring Myanmar.
She recently returned from Tigray in Ethiopia, the scene of fighting between separatists and government forces vying for control of the mountainous area in the north of the country.
Victoria said: “You’ve got to be a jack-of-all-trades, up for a challenge and not afraid to get stuck in. I’ve run roadside primary care clinics, set up covid vaccination clinics, delivered medical supplies, trained a team to survey malnourished children and overseen preparedness for a cholera outbreak.
“My general medical skills are put to good use and you often work outside your comfort zone which makes it interesting.”
The majority of Médecins Sans Frontières’ staff are local and supported by a contingent of international doctors, nurses and midwives like Victoria.
Tigray’s health centres have been largely looted and destroyed, and many medical staff have fled in fear of their lives. Phone networks, internet and electricity have been cut off, and the region’s roads often littered with armed checkpoints manned by different factions.
“People are generally respectful of what we. We don’t take sides and are simply here to give medical care to those who need it. I’ve always wanted to work for Médecins Sans Frontières and working part-time gives me the freedom to do that.
“You do get to see some extraordinary things although seeing camels wandering around never lost its excitement. It’s not the sort of thing you see in Ealing.”