Upon arrival in the field
As soon as you arrive in the mission country, you will be offered a personalized health briefing by the Medical Coordinator (MedCo) or a designated person (Deputy MedCo or Assistant). This meeting aims to provide all relevant information on the health risks related to the project, the precautions to take, and the procedure to follow in case of a health problem or accident.
During this meeting, your health status will be reviewed to enable appropriate medical follow-up throughout your mission if needed. The information provided through the medical form will be kept only for the duration of your assignment and will be accessible exclusively to medical staff, with strict confidentiality.
Roles and Responsibilities
Medical Coordinator
In MSF missions, the medical coordinator ensures overall supervision of staff health and well-being policy. This person:
Assesses health risks specific to intervention areas,
Analyses local healthcare resources and transportation options,
Implements the necessary prevention and safety measures to protect staff health.
The medical coordinator is informed of any health incident to ensure proper care. Day-to-day medical follow-up in the field is usually handled by the dedicated Staff Health focal point.
Staff Health Focal point
In every MSF project, a Staff Health Focal point is allocated the responsibility to support the health and well-being for all staff in that project.
This is usually the Project Medical Referrent (PMR), or the Medical Activity Manager (MAM).
They are the first point of contact if you are feeling unwell and/or would like to discuss any physical or mental health issues.
You
As a MSF staff member, even during rest periods, you remain under the responsibility of your employer. You are responsible for:
Adhering to prevention measures in place,
Following any other recommendations given by your medical doctor and MSF for your health and safety.
In case of illness or accident
What to do if you're feeling unwell?
If you fall sick, you must inform the Staff Health focal point in your project.
Depending on the situation and available medical resources, you will either be treated at field level or referred to the capital for better care, or another location, eventually a third country depending on the problem.
In all cases, you must regularly share updates on your health status.
Accident
The management of an accident follows the same principles as above. The concerned staff must consult a doctor, even if the injury seems minor, and depending on the circumstances it could be required to fill out an accident declaration which will be shared if needed with the insurance company.
Sick Leave
International Mobile Staff (IMS) must be aware that sick leave certificates are essential for insurance declarations. These certificates must be sent to the Field Admin Referent (FAR.GVA@geneva.msf.org ), with Staff Health Unit in cc (Staff-Health.GVA@geneva.msf.org).
For sick leave longer than 5 days:
- At the beginning of the sick leave, the MedCo can issue the sick leave certificate (for a maximum of 10 – 15 days).
- For any extension beyond this initial period, the certificate must be issued by an external medical doctor as the insurance doesn't recognize valid a sick leave certificate delivered by a MD of the same organization (in this case MSF).
- It is the responsibility of the IMS to request this certificate from a qualified medical doctor and ensure it is shared accordingly.
Failure to provide the required documentation may impact insurance coverage..
Insurance
When you are contracted by MSF, you are automatically insured from the first day of contract. For MSH insurance, please read the insurance leaflet to understand the coverage, the restrictions and the reimbursement processes.
For Swiss and US residents, please check your insurance cover with your respective contracting section.
Medical Evacuation
Mental Health during Mission
Life in an MSF mission can be intense.
Long days, pressure, cultural differences, difficult decisions, and limited resources can affect anyone.
You may notice tiredness, irritability, sleep problems, or emotional ups and downs. These are common and often temporary.
Stress reactions are normal in this environment.
They do not mean you are weak or not coping.
Self-assessing your mental health
Practical Coping Strategies in the Field
Small, practical actions can make a big difference.
Protect your rest time whenever possible.
Keep routines where you can — sleep, meals, and hydration matter.
Use simple management tools:
Slow breathing or grounding exercises
Short pauses between tasks
Physical movement, even brief walks
Seek Support Early
- Peer support is one of the strongest protective factors in the field.
- Create boundaries between work and rest — mentally and physically.
- Talk with colleagues you trust. Check in on each other — especially after difficult events.
- Supporting others also helps strengthen your own resilience.
Sometimes, self‑care and peer support are not enough. If stress reactions are intense, persistent, or affecting your work or relationships — it's important to seek help early.
Reach out to managers, your staff health focal point in the field, or directly with SHU Psychologist: psy-ocg.gva@geneva.msf.org
Reaching out is a responsible step — not a sign of weakness
Prolonged, poorly managed stress can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion with potential long term sick-leave (Prevention is better than cure!). Stay alert to early warning signs: increased fatigue, irritability, negative thoughts, unusual behaviors
Tools & Resources
MSF has teamed up with an organization called Headspace. They provide mindfulness tools for your everyday life, including meditations, sleep podcasts, mindful movement, and focus exercises for free thanks to their collaboration with us. Through science-based meditation and mindfulness tools, Headspace can help you create habits to support your mental health and wellbeing. You can access these tools through their mobile app or you can stream on your computer.
Burnout: How to prevent, identify and transform it into professional growth
Breaks
After three months on mission, you are entitled to one week of rest. This recovery time is essential to maintain your energy and health. It is therefore not recommended to plan tiring holidays (hiking, extreme sports, etc.).
During your rest and leave you are covered by ISOS and by the medical insurance worldwide (Except in the USA). Only emergencies are covered if you are outside the mission country and your country of residence during breaks, and during trainings held outside the mission country during the assignment. Please note it is not the case if you take your leave after your mission.
Accidents resulting from high-risk activities (skydiving, jet skiing, etc.) during your break are not covered by MSF insurance.
Avoid accumulating your leave over six months: it is important to maintain your physical and mental balance regularly.
Remarks: According missions, leave rules could be different
The SHU Psy services are grounded in strict confidentiality principles.
No confidential information is shared.
SHU Psychologist: psy-ocg.gva@geneva.msf.org