MSF has been active in West Gondar since 2003, providing care for people affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as snakebite and kala-azar in Abdurafi.
MSF specializes in providing expert and quality medical care to communities affected by snakebites envenoming (SBE). In 2025, MSFtreated 1,994 patients. The project treats more snakebite patients than any other MSF site worldwide and is recognized as a centre of excellence, thanks to its low mortality rate (0,05% in 2025 for SBE) in diseases with a high mortality risk. MSF has also introduced the use of PANAF since June 2025, which means a huge milestone, a WHO-prequalified antivenom that does not require cold chain storage, making it easier to transport and to storage in remote and resource-limited settings.
MSF Abdurafi clinic also treats Kala Azar patients, having treated 113 patients in 2025. In the last number of years, we have seen a significant reduction in the number of Kala Azar patients, yet starting from March 2026, studying the sand-fly population in and around Medri Genet to understand the reasons behind this decline are yet being carried out by MSF..
While high-quality, life-saving care is being provided and mortality rates remain low, the realities faced by the population in accessing care are highly complex. The wide use of traditional medicine before attending professional medical care, affects patients’ ability to access timely, life-saving treatment for time-sensitive conditions. This, combined with the security situation restricts movement and increases transportation costs. that together further delaying access to treatment.