Pack a Hospital. Save a Life.
Every day, Doctors Without Borders medics pack their backpacks with life-saving essentials—antibiotics, rehydration salts, malaria test kits. Now, you can help pack the next one.
This interactive experience lets you build a real Doctors Without Borders (DWB) backpack—one that a field medic will carry to save lives in crisis zones. Each item you choose represents an essential medical supply, from bandages to solar chargers, that can be used in emergency situations. With each scroll, you’ll see how these supplies directly impact patients in need. At the end, you’ll have the chance to donate a backpack filled with life-saving tools.
Why A Backpack?
When a hospital isn’t an option, a backpack becomes one.
In the middle of a crisis — a war zone, a collapsed health system, or a refugee camp — the idea of a hospital can feel impossibly far away. Infrastructure crumbles. Clinics are abandoned. Medical supplies vanish. But Doctors Without Borders doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. Their medics go in anyway — with everything they need packed into one essential object: a backpack.
Inside this backpack are the tools that stand between life and death. A malaria test kit to diagnose a child’s fever before it turns fatal. Antibiotics to stop an infection that could take a limb — or a life. Bandages to close wounds, solar chargers to stay connected during blackouts, and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration in a malnourished infant.
Each item is small. But together, they’re powerful.
You might not be able to fly into a disaster zone. But you can help pack this hospital-on-the-move. Your support directly fills that backpack — and the hands of the medic who will use it to save lives in the field.
Inside the Backpack: The Stories Behind the Supplies
📍 Wau, South Sudan, 2023 — Dr. Emma’s Backpack
"It was late afternoon when a woman arrived at our field clinic carrying her son on her back. He was barely conscious — burning with fever, breathing shallow and fast. I unzipped my backpack — the same one I carry into every emergency — and pulled out a rapid malaria test. Within 15 minutes, we had our answer: positive. I administered antimalarial medication from the same pack, then added oral rehydration salts to water and helped the boy drink slowly. That night, we monitored him closely. By morning, his fever had dropped, and he was sitting up in bed, eating rice from a tin bowl. His mother held his hand, eyes wet with relief. That backpack — small as it is — had everything I needed to save his life."
📍 Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2022 — Nyasha’s Story
“My daughter cut her foot badly while helping collect water. At first, we tried to clean it ourselves, but after a few days, it began to swell. She had a fever and was struggling to walk. I brought her to a nearby MSF clinic. The nurse opened a black backpack and took out bandages, antiseptic, and antibiotics. She cleaned the wound gently and explained how to care for it at home. A week later, my daughter was back on her feet. It might not seem like much — but for us, that backpack meant healing without a hospital.”
Every Backpack Holds a Story. Help Fill the Next One
↓
Let’s pack a hospital, one life-saving item at a time.
As you scroll, you’ll see what goes into a real Doctors Without Borders field backpack — and how each item helps save lives.
Step 1 – Oral Rehydration Salts
Cost: £0.60
Diarrhoea can be fatal, especially for children. This tiny tube restores electrolytes and hydration quickly. It’s basic, powerful, and often the difference between life and death.
Step 2 – Malaria Test Kit
Cost: £6
Fast diagnosis saves lives. These rapid test kits help MSF teams detect malaria within minutes, so they can treat patients immediately.
Step 3 – Bandages & Antiseptics
Cost: £1.80
A small wound can become life-threatening without proper care. This bundle includes clean gauze, antiseptic, and medical tape to prevent infection.
Step 4 – Antibiotics
Cost: £3
From pneumonia to wound infections, antibiotics are critical. MSF doctors use them daily to fight off potentially deadly bacteria.
Step 5 – Solar Phone Charger
Cost: £12
In the field, phones are lifelines. Solar chargers keep communication open for medics to coordinate care, even in remote or areas without electricity.
Step 6 – Thermometer
Cost: £4
Fever is a red flag. A basic digital thermometer helps health workers catch infections early and monitor recovery.
Step 7 – Water Purification Tablets
Cost: £3
Clean water isn’t a guarantee. These tablets kill bacteria and parasites so families can drink safely in crisis zones.
Final Step – Emergency Thermal Blanket
Cost: £6
Lightweight but life-saving. These blankets reflect body heat to prevent hypothermia during emergencies or field surgeries.
Backpack packed. Impact made.
You’ve just filled a real Doctors Without Borders backpack. Now, imagine hundreds of these in the field — because of people like you!
Where Your Packed Backpack Goes Next
The backpack you built represents real medical supplies used in crisis zones. Thanks to your support, Doctors Without Borders can deliver these essential items to medics working in war zones, disaster sites, and refugee camps. Here’s how your contribution makes a difference.
|
Category |
% of £65 Donation |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Medical Supplies |
60% |
Funds life-saving items like malaria test kits, bandages, and antibiotics. |
|
Logistics & Transport |
25% |
Ensures supplies reach remote areas, even in conflict zones. |
|
Training & Medical Staff Support |
15% |
Helps train local doctors & nurses, ensuring long-term impact. |
Where Your Backpack Could Go
Backpacks like yours are used in DWB clinics around the world. Every region has unique needs, but the impact is always life-saving.
Who We Are
Doctors Without Borders
"We go where we're needed most. No matter what."
Every day, Doctors Without Borders (DWB) – also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – provides emergency medical care to people affected by war, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from healthcare.
We operate in over 70 countries, working on the frontlines of conflicts, humanitarian crises, and disease outbreaks. From life-saving surgeries to treating malnutrition, our mission is simple: to go wherever we are needed most.
In 2023 alone, we:
✔ Treated 1.3 million patients in our hospitals.
✔ Held over 16.4 million medical consultations in mobile clinics, conflict zones, and refugee camps.
✔ Responded immediately to natural disasters, outbreaks, and emergencies—without waiting for approval or political intervention.
What Makes Us Different?
Unlike many organisations, DWB is independent, neutral, and impartial. Our work is guided by medical ethics and humanitarian principles, not politics.
- We act fast – Our teams can deploy within hours of an emergency, carrying vital medical supplies.
- We speak out – We not only provide medical aid but also bear witness to injustice, violence, and suffering.
- We go beyond emergencies – While the media covers major crises, our teams stay long after the headlines fade, offering long-term healthcare solutions.
How We Operate
© Sean Sutton/Panos Pictures
© Sean Sutton/Panos Pictures
We Are Independent
DWB relies on the generosity of individuals, not governments. In the UK, 99% of our funding comes from private donors, foundations, and trusts.
This independence allows us to:
✔ Respond immediately—without waiting for approval or fundraising campaigns.
✔ Provide care where it’s needed most, regardless of political pressure.
✔ Negotiate access to crisis zones without being tied to government agendas.
We Are Neutral
DWB provides medical care in conflict zones—which means neutrality is essential. We do not take sides.
Wherever the greatest medical needs exist, we provide treatment—whether it’s a wounded civilian, an injured soldier, or a displaced refugee.
✔ Our field hospitals treat people based solely on their medical condition, not their background or affiliations.
✔ Our teams engage with local communities to build trust and ensure safe access to patients.
Neutrality does not mean inaction. When we witness injustice or human suffering, we speak out. We report what our teams see on the ground—from war crimes to humanitarian neglect.
We Are Impartial
At DWB, every patient matters. No matter their race, religion, or political beliefs, if someone needs life-saving care, we provide it—free of charge.
✔ We prioritise based on medical need alone—whether treating war-wounded civilians, delivering babies in conflict zones, or running long-term HIV programs.
✔ No one is turned away. If a patient walks into a DWB clinic, they will receive treatment—no questions asked.
Contact Us
Our UK Office
Level 5, Artesian,
9 Prescot Street,
London, E1 8AZ
+44 (0)207 404 6600
English Charity Reg. No. 1026588
The office is currently open from 9.00 am – 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
You can call us on 020 7404 6600, seven days a week, between 8 am – 10 pm.
|
Department |
Purpose |
Contact Information |
|---|---|---|
|
General Inquiries |
Questions about DWB’s work or how to support us |
info@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
|
Donation Support |
Help with donations, receipts, or fundraising |
donate@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
|
Press & Media Requests |
Interviews, statements, media coverage |
press@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
|
Volunteering & Careers |
Join DWB as a field worker or HQ staff |
volunteer@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
|
Emergency Response Team |
Rapid crisis deployment and inquiries |
crisis@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
|
Corporate & Partnerships |
Collaborate with DWB through sponsorships or fundraising |
partners@doctorswithoutborders.org.uk |
Are you an MSF supporter with a question? Visit our supporter help centre to view our FAQs and get in touch with our Supporter Care Team.
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