McMaster Friends of MSF

“We were robbed, they put a gun to my chest and put their hands in my private parts, they did it to my mother too. They beat my step father and wanted to kill him, as he had no money.”

– Marien Hiel, a Venezuelan teenager followed by the BBC¹

“Marien considers herself lucky, compared to many other migrants”

– BBC Reporter Mimi Swaby¹

The Darien Gap is an inhospitable stretch of jungle that is the only connection point between North and South America.² Millions of migrants heading to the United States must wade through its swamps and dense forests, rife with disease and other humanitarian dangers. In regions like Bajo Chiquito, thousands of migrants arrive daily after a gruelling march through an undeveloped wilderness dominated by gangs.³ Many have been brutalized, sexually assaulted, and infected with tropical diseases such as malaria.² The increasing number of stories similar to Marien’s inspired Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to deploy three camps in 2021 to help service the hundreds of thousands of migrants who now cross the 100km stretch annually.⁴

MSF is dedicated to improving access to treatment and strengthening humanitarian efforts across Panama and the Migrant trail north. The biggest obstacle to this, however, comes from an unlikely source.^5,6 At the start of 2024, MSF was ordered by Panamanian authorities to halt all medical activities in Panama.⁴ The decision for cessation was made by the Panamanian Government due to the lack of an agreement between MSF and Panama’s Ministry of Health. With MSF desperately trying to renew the agreement for months, MSF argues that the inability to reach an agreement falls to the malaise of their Panamanian counterparts, displaying a veiled apathy and reprehensiveness to the plight of migrants.

MSF raised serious concerns about the suspension of its services, which comes at a time when migration through the Darién Gap usually increases from seasonal factors.At the San Vicente and Lajas Blancas reception centers, MSF teams were providing vital physical and psychological care to nearly 5,000 people each month. A significant focus of their work had been supporting victims of sexual violence, with 676 cases reported in 2023 and an additional 120 recorded in January 2024 alone. In 2023, MSF delivered nearly 60,000 medical consultations along the migration route from South to North America, including mental health support and first aid, underscoring the critical role their services play in assisting vulnerable populations.⁴ Despite all of its work, however, MSF has been barred from contribution–not due to concerns over the medical care they provide,⁵ but as a consequence of political challenges.

Local constituents of Central American Nations, such as Panama, have grown displeased at the increasing numbers of migrants travelling through their countries. A combination of economic collapses in neighbouring countries and American policies on immigration has caused a swell in numbers seeking protected legal status and social services from countries on their way.² As local governments must manage, police, and provide services to migrants, unwanted costs have been passed down to local taxpayers. The governments, wanting to offload criticism, cast MSF as providing immigrants an incentive to come.³ Despite fears that extending free services to migrants increases migrant levels, the desperation of migrants seems more than enough to make the attempt.

This conclusion is drawn after situations worsened following the cessation of MSF’s activities, with local agencies unable to control the flow of increasing seasonal migrant levels after MSF’s mandated cessation. MSF resumed negotiations and reopened treatment centres to full capacity in October of 2024, 7 months later.⁶

From October 2024 until the present, MSF’s most common services include:

1. Mental Health Counselling
2. Disease Testing
3. Sexual Violence Rehabilitiation
4. Emergency Care Treatment
5. Connecting Migrants with Legal Resources

Unlikely barriers from governments, popular opinion, and geopolitical trends often challenge MSF’s ability to do what it does best—treat those in need. The complex mission of MSF in Panama should be a note to all individuals wanting to make a difference through MSF or other global organizations to consider how auxiliary factors affect primary goals.⁵

Through compassion, cooperation, and determination, MSF, alongside the people and governments of Central America, demonstrates that progress is achievable and lives can be changed, even in the midst of significant challenges.

References

4. Panama: MSF Medical and Humanitarian Aid. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. October 22, 2024. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.msf.org/panama.

6. 2024. MSF resumes activities in Darien gap: MSF. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. January 23, 2025. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.msf.org/msf-resumes-activities-darien-gap.

5. 2024. MSF forced to suspend medical care for people on the move in Panama: MSF. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. March 7, 2024. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.msf.org/msf-forced-suspend-medical-care-people-move-panama.

3. Hobson L. What’s happening in the Darién Gap? Medical Teams International. May 31, 2024. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.medicalteams.org/blog/whats-happening-in-the-darien-gap/.

1. What in the world, why is the darién gap so dangerous? BBC World Service. January 12, 2025. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kjk6f3#:~:text=The%20Dari%C3%A9n%20Gap%20is%20one,between%20South%20and%20Central%20America.

2. Roy D. Crossing the darién gap: Migrants risk death on the journey to the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations. July 22, 2024. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.cfr.org/article/crossing-darien-gap-migrants-risk-death-journey-us.