PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There’s a push to get local professionals to put their skills to use in developing countries.
On Wednesday evening, the organization Doctors Without Borders was in Philadelphia, recruiting staff to help run projects they have in more than 70 countries.
“We’re opening and closing projects around the world all the time. Over 60 percent of our projects are in Africa,” said Douglas Mercer of Doctors Without Borders. “We generally go where the patients are, where the needs are the greatest, where nobody else is and where we can provide access to health care that patients don’t have.”
Mercer says they need more than just medical professionals.
“Almost 50 percent of our field staff are non-medical. Experts in water sanitation, logistics, supply chain management, mechanics, construction, engineering,” said Mercer.
Mercer says their organization gives people a chance to litteralty change the world for the better.
“Everybody talks about helping others, and taking care of others. Put your ideals into practice,” he said. “We actually live what we believe and we encourage others to do the same.”
For more information about Doctors Without Borders, visit CBSPhilly.com.
