Ms Jane-Ann McKenna:

I thank the Chairman and members for inviting Dr. McMaster and me to appear before it. As Deputy Pat Breen mentioned, I made a presentation to the committee last September. Members will be familiar with the work of Médecins Sans Frontières and the places in which we intervene. As the crisis in Syria intensifies daily, humanitarian needs in Syria and surrounding countries are increasing significantly. Many people have been killed and wounded and hundreds of thousands displaced, leaving behind everything they own. Medical and humanitarian assistance in Syria is very limited and aid from international organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, has been extremely restricted. Médecins Sans Frontières has strengthened its response to the refugees who are flowing across Syrian borders to neighbouring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. In spite of an increase in its activities, Médecins Sans Frontières's response is and remains limited in terms of the range and scale of needs involved. We are very keen to try to do more.

My colleague, Dr. McMaster, will give an account of his recent work in Syria.