INTERVIEW: Gwenola Seroux, MSF Head of Emergency Operations, on the Rohingya Crisis (ENG)

Back from her second field visit in Bangladesh, Gwenola Seroux, MSF Head of Emergency Operations, gives an update on the situation in the Rohinga refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.

MSF228087

To Report An Asset

If you think this image is in any way inappropriate, please report it, by including its URN/identifying code and a brief description of your concern in sending an email to [email protected]

Linked assets

INTERVIEW: Gwenola Seroux, MSF Head of Emergency Operations, on the Rohingya Crisis (INT)

INTERVIEW: Gwenola Seroux, responsable des urgences, sur la crise Rohingya (FR)

Subt. French

Aep

After Effects files for Interviews MSF228087 + MSF228080

WEBCLIPS: Rohingya Crisis. Interviews with Anthropologist & MSF head of emergency operation

Add to lightbox

Add to cart

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSF228087

Date taken / Date Recorded 21/03/2018 12:00 AM

Country Bangladesh

Commissioning section MSF-FRANCE

Photographer / videographer / producer Simon Rolin

Usage Rights (MSF) External Media, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available no

Editor's rating ★★★★★ (C)

Video format h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661)

Duration 3m22s

Maximum Size 1920px × 1080px 330.43 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist Gwenola Seroux, head of emergency operations, MSF

I’ve just returned from my second visit to Bangladesh, to the camps in Cox’s Bazar where Rohingya refugees have taken refuge. Over 688,000 more Rohingyas have arrived since the crisis began on August 25th 2017, so their numbers have now risen to almost 900,000 on this tiny peninsular.

In terms of aid, conditions in the camps have improved considerably since the emergency began. But 600 to 1,000 Rohingyas continue to arrive every week. It’s important to point out they’re still being subjected to violence in Myanmar.

While I was there I was able to talk to people who’d just arrived. I remember one gentleman in particular. He told me that, for the first time in his life, he’d resigned himself to crossing the border to seek refuge in Bangladesh. It represented a real turning point as he’d already lived through three major Rohingya crises. He explained that this time he simply wasn’t able to stay in his country. He was really insistent on the fact that it was his country.

Conditions in the camp have improved but are still precarious.
We’ve had to respond to epidemics. Measles broke out as the camp was being set up and MSF tackled the outbreak as part of its operations.
There’s been an epidemic of diphtheria for the past three months. It’s slowing down, but there’ve been over 5,000 cases.

Conditions in the camps remain poor. Families are still living in makeshift shelters made out of bamboo and plastic sheeting, but food is being distributed.

There’s sufficient water but its quality is a serious concern.

This is Southeast Asia, and this region of Bangladesh is often hit by cyclones.
We’re concerned that, because of the cyclones and monsoon rains, the situation will deteriorate.

The camp is densely populated and it’s really difficult to get to. It’ll be even more difficult during the rainy season.

Our teams are now taking every precaution to keep our operations running. The rainy season will also rovokee water-related diseases, so there’s a further risk of epidemics. Diarrhoeas, for example, illnesses like hepatitis E and diseases transmitted by mosquitos such as malaria, dengue fever and chikungunya.

So we’re still in the emergency phase.

We’re continuing to do our utmost to provide assistance to the Rohingya refugees.