Marilyn McHarg

Marilyn McHarg is a founding member and current General Director of the Canadian section of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders, the world's leading independent medical humanitarian organization.

A former registered nurse with a Master's degree in Applied Sciences (1984–1987) from McGill University in Montréal, McHarg spent nine years in Africa from 1991 until 2000 working for MSF as a field nurse in Uganda, a training consultant and a medical coordinator in Sudan, and a medical coordinator as well as Head of Mission in South Sudan and Liberia.

Following nine years in the field identifying humanitarian needs, translating medical policy into project activities, supervising financial management and logistical support, and implementing project activities ranging from health education and basic health services to water and sanitation services, relief distributions, and famine response, McHarg was based in Europe as Operational Director for MSF Holland and later MSF Geneva from 2000 until 2006 with responsibility for missions in 20 countries.

Prior to her work with MSF, McHarg was a registered nurse at Women's College Hospital and Sunnybrook Medical Centre in Toronto and a research assistant and laboratory technologist at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario and research assistant at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

In addition to her Master's degree, McHarg graduated with a Bachelor of Science: Life Sciences and Psychology from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario (1978 – 1983) and holds certificates in tropical medicine, critical care, quality assurance and nursing audits. In 1996 she obtained a pilot’s license.

About MSF Canada

The Canadian section of MSF was founded in 1991. It employs approximately 45 staff in Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver. The President of the Board of Directors is Joanne Liu, an emergency pediatrician in Montréal.

Expenditures: 83% goes to programme activities (field operations, as well as advocacy and recruitment in Canada); 13.6% fundraising; 3.4% administration (based on 2006). 70,000 Canadians donated more than $17 million to MSF in 2006.

Operational responsibilities are shared around the MSF movement. For example, a group in Toronto manages operations in five countries: Colombia, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Republic of the Congo.

Over the years, Canadians aid workers have taken on more than 1,800 field assignments with MSF in over 80 countries. In 2007, MSF Canada planned to send over 200 Canadian expatriate staff to the field.

External links

• Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders
• Médecins Sans Frontières Canada
• The Hamilton Spectator
• The Globe and Mail

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Name	Macharg, Marilyn
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