Médecins Sans Frontières Provides Critical Aid to Migrants Rescued on West African Shores

Nouadhibou: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been actively assisting migrants who disembarked on the shores of West Africa, specifically in Nouadhibou in Mauritania, and Rosso and Dakar in Senegal. The migrants, who were survivors from seven boats in distress, had embarked from The Gambia intending to reach the Canary Islands via one of the longest migration routes in the world. However, they became stranded at sea and were subsequently rescued. Upon reaching the shore, MSF medical teams, in collaboration with the Mauritanian Red Crescent and the International Organization for Migration, provided them with emergency medical support.According to African Press Organization, the migrants suffered from severe medical conditions that included extreme dehydration, unconsciousness, bone fractures, extreme fatigue, and infections affecting the skin, gastric system, and respiratory system due to prolonged exposure at sea. The group of survivors included 134 women, one of whom is pregnant, and 88 minors requiring p rotection. Most of these individuals hailed from Senegal and The Gambia, with others originating from Mali, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire. Many shared harrowing experiences of violence in their home countries and along their migration journey. A survivor in Dakar reported being beaten by a smuggler and unidentified men to extort more money for the crossing, while a female survivor recounted being raped by a smuggler who had taken her payment for the crossing.Dalil Adji, head of mission for MSF's migration task force in West Africa, highlighted the dire circumstances that force people to undertake this perilous journey. He emphasized that those who risk the 2,000-kilometre route, currently the deadliest in the world, are fleeing conditions worse than the dangers they face at sea. Adji called on West African and European governments to establish safe and legal pathways for individuals seeking safety and to develop a migration response that prioritizes human life, dignity, and timely assistance.In addition to im mediate medical care, MSF teams referred severe cases for specialized medical treatment and provided basic necessities such as water, food, blankets, and dignity kits, along with emergency mental health care. Since the project's inception in 2024, MSF teams have been assisting individuals disembarking from distressed boats on the Atlantic route, witnessing the increasing human cost of this migration path and the vulnerability of those who undertake it. Despite the evident dangers, individuals continue to take this risky route due to a lack of alternatives.