RDAU_2026-ISSUE0809_DIGITAL MAGAZINE

62   AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2026 reader ’ s digest “When I was young, I did not understand climate change. Droughts, flooding during king tides and coastal erosion, felt like normal parts of island life,” explains Mila Tirikai, Médecins Sans Frontières’ water, sanitation and hygiene supervisor in Kiribati, a remote Pacific island nation where health challenges are quietly compounding under the weight of climate vulnerability. “Sometimes our rainwater tanks would run dry and water became very limited. We also saw the sea slowly affecting the land near our homes. At that time, we simply adapted without thinking of it as part of a global problem. Now working with MSF, I understand that the challenges we face are not just local issues, but part of a larger global climate crisis that affects small island nations like Kiribati the most.” When people think of Médecins Sans Frontières, also known by its English name Doctors Without Borders or MSF, they often picture emergency teams responding in conflict zones or epidemics. But MSF’s approach continues to evolve, particularly as climate and environmental changes increasingly intersect with health, even outside traditional crisis settings. That’s why MSF is working in Kiribati, which like many small island states, faces the realities of rising sea levels, water and food insecurity, a complex health burden and rapidly changing living environments. Frontlines of Change story supplied by MSF How MSF is Navigating the Climate Health Crisis in the Pacif ic INSPIRATIONAL PHOTO CREDIT: KEIRA SARGEANT/MSF readersdigest.com.au     63 Inspirational