Call for applications for the 2025 cohort is open from 15th May – 15th June, 2025.

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

MSF is opening the call for proposals by journalists, photographers, filmmakers, and newsrooms editors to join the 2025-2026 cohort of the Without Borders Media Fellowship. This Fellowship aims to encourage humanitarian and health related journalistic reporting, and leverages scientific storytelling to draw attention to emerging local or cross-border issues in the South Asia region. Journalists awarded with this fellowship are expected to produce at least one in-depth report by engaging with affected populations and stakeholders. The fellows will have an opportunity to work closely with mentors, who are experts and thought leaders in journalism and public health, as well as medical and operations specialists from the MSF movement.

Stories from the heart of crises give a voice to vulnerable people, support medical and humanitarian advocacy, and encourage dialogue on humanitarian values. Awarded fellows will be encouraged to work together, build communities of practice, and support humanitarian actors to better understand crises and contexts, while working with compassion.

There are three grant categories available for applicants to choose from:

  • General Grant (applicants can choose from a range of themes)
    The General Grant supports in-depth reporting across five themes:
    • Tuberculosis
    • HIV
    • Health Impact of Climate Change
    • Women’s Health
    • Impact of Caste on Health
    This grant will enable journalists to highlight and investigate a range of transversal subjects in South Asia through training, insightful storytelling and extensive field exposure. Successful applicants receive a grant to cover reporting costs and get access to experts to enrich the reporting process.
    Please read further details about these five topics and the expected regions of focus, under the Themes section.

  • MSF-DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative) Grant on Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and Gender Responsive R&D (ONLY OPEN TO APPLICANTS FROM INDIA, NEPAL, BANGLADESH AND SRI LANKA)
    The MSF-DNDi Grant focuses on raising awareness and fostering a better understanding of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). NTDs such as dengue, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis and mycetoma affect millions of people in South Asia. These diseases are driven by factors like poverty, poor sanitation, lack of adequate treatment and limited healthcare access. This grant is aimed at exploring the complexities of NTDs from the lens of gender, pediatrics and climate change. It emphasizes the need for targeted interventions such as safe, affordable and effective treatment and improved healthcare infrastructure.
    The grant will also focus on critical issues surrounding gender equity in clinical trials, the intersection of gender, climate, and infectious diseases highlighting the systemic challenges faced by women in health research and the urgent need for actionable strategies to address these disparities. Recipients receive financial support for reporting expenses and access to DNDi experts to generate comprehensive reportage. 

  • MSF-GARDP (The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership) Grant on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) (ONLY OPEN TO APPLICANTS FROM INDIA)
  • AMR occurs when bacteria naturally develop resistance to antibiotics, rendering them increasingly ineffective. As a result, infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. AMR is already one of the world’s biggest killers, with 4.71 million associated deaths each year, of which 20% are in India. While the predominant AMR narrative so far has explored “excess and inappropriate use of antibiotics” as a key contributor to AMR, “lack of access to the right antibiotics” is a contributor that has largely been ignored. As per the recent findings of the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) study, AMR-related mortality has remained relatively stable in recent decades, but a sharp rise is now expected, with the number of AMR-related deaths increasing by more than 70% by 2050. The primary reasons behind this sudden surge are the rise and spread of difficult-to-treat Gram-negative infections and a lack of access to effective antibiotics across the globe. According to the GRAM study, more than 50 million deaths could be prevented through improvements to access. The MSF-GARDP grant on AMR is aimed at exploring the theme of access vs excess, from the context of India and LMICs and going deeper into the issue of lack of antibiotic access. The stories could gather insights keeping in mind the complexities of the Indian healthcare system – public vs private; primary vs secondary vs. tertiary; urban vs rural. Recipients shall receive financial support for reporting expenses and access to GARDP experts to generate comprehensive reportage.

Applications are open from 15th May – 15th June, 2025. To apply click here

MSF welcomes applications from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Nepal:

The Without Borders Media Fellowship aims to promote continuous reporting and outreach on the intersection of factors affecting public health and humanitarian conditions, including planetary health, social class, access to health resources, diagnosis, and treatment, conflict and violence, urban development, and disparities in healthcare access.

The Without Borders Media Fellowship aims to:

    • Encourage cross-border and hyper-local reporting on health and humanitarian crises.
    • Leverage multimedia storytelling to build public awareness and mobilization.
    • Engage a community of actors interested in humanitarian response and medical action.
    • Document and highlight critical practice or policy issues in healthcare delivery.

The Fellowship award aims to support media professionals by providing the following:

    • Reporting costs
    • Access to MSF projects
    • Knowledge sharing on MSF’s model of care
    • Mentorship
    • Training/sensitization
    • Resources to produce in-depth, insightful reporting.

Media Fellows who are selected in the MSF program are provided with comprehensive support throughout their journey. This includes mentorship, subject matter sensitization, and training, as well as access to MSF projects and experts. They also receive funding for reporting costs for field visits, based on reasonable and detailed budgets. Most awards range between INR 50,000 to INR 2,00,000 (or the local currency equivalent). The amount may vary depending on individual circumstances.

The Fellowship award covers a duration of three to five months for the project, with some projects requiring further consideration depending on the application and reporting proposal. Fellows are expected to publish their work before the end of 2024.

The Fellowship accepts applications and reporting proposals on various thematic areas, including but not limited to General Grant (applicants can choose among five themes) or the MSF-DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative) Grant for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) or MSF-GARDP (The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership) Grant on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

1.Tuberculosis:

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, disproportionately affecting the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Despite being preventable and curable, millions lack access to timely diagnosis and effective treatment. The rise of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) has made treatment longer, more toxic, and harder to access. MSF works to provide shorter, more effective, and patient-friendly treatments while challenging high drug prices and diagnostic gaps. Tackling TB requires community-based care, robust public health systems, and sustained outreach efforts. Journalists are expected to report on the human toll of TB, barriers to accessing care, and the urgent need for equitable access to diagnostics and treatment for all.

Expected regions of focus: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan

2.HIV:

HIV remains one of the world’s leading global health challenges, particularly in low-resource and crisis-affected settings. Despite major progress in antiretroviral therapy (ART), many people still lack timely access to testing, treatment, and sustained care. Late diagnoses, stockouts, and overwhelmed health systems continue to cost lives. MSF focuses on simplifying treatment protocols, decentralizing care, and supporting people through long-term adherence. Community-based models and rapid, accessible testing are critical to closing the treatment gap. Journalists are expected to explore the persistent barriers to HIV care, the consequences of late treatment, and efforts to bring life-saving therapies closer to people in need.

Expected regions of focus: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

3.Women’s Health:

Women and girls often face unique health challenges due to gender inequality, limited autonomy, and restricted access to care. From unsafe abortions to complications in childbirth, the lack of sexual and reproductive healthcare in crisis-affected or remote areas puts lives at risk. Women also bear the brunt of gender-based violence, which has severe physical and mental health consequences. Essential services such as family planning, safe abortion care, and emergency obstetric care are often scarce or inaccessible. Journalists are expected to investigate the intersection of gender, health, and inequality, with a focus on how comprehensive women’s health services can save lives and restore dignity.

Expected regions of focus: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal

4.Health Impact of Climate Change:

Climate change is a growing public health emergency, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and driving new health crises. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting disease patterns threaten food security, water access, and increase the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and cholera. Marginalized communities often suffer the most, with limited resilience and adaptation capacity. Climate-related displacement also brings new health challenges, including overcrowded shelters and poor sanitation. Journalists are expected to uncover how climate change affects public health, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations, disease outbreaks, and the need for climate-resilient health systems.

Expected regions of focus: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

5. Impact of Caste on Health:

Caste-based discrimination remains a systemic and deeply rooted barrier to healthcare access across South Asia. Marginalized caste groups face exclusion, stigma, and neglect in both public health systems and society at large. Caste intersects with gender, disability, and poverty, compounding health vulnerabilities. Women from oppressed castes face disproportionate burdens, including hazardous work and limited access to care. Caste is a cross-cutting issue that influences patient dignity and equity in care. Journalists are expected to explore how caste impacts access to healthcare and to highlight stories that reveal both structural exclusion and efforts toward inclusive, dignified health services.

Expected regions of focus: India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal

6. Neglected Tropical Diseases:

The MSF-DNDi Grant focuses on raising awareness and fostering a better understanding of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). NTDs such as kala azar, dengue, lymphatic filariasis, and mycetoma affect millions of people in South Asia. These diseases are driven by factors like poverty, poor sanitation, lack of adequate treatment and limited healthcare access. This grant is aimed at exploring the complexities of NTDs from the lens of gender, pediatrics and climate change. It emphasizes the need for targeted interventions such as safe, affordable and effective treatment and improved healthcare infrastructure. The grant will also focus on critical issues surrounding gender equity in clinical trials, the intersection of gender, climate, and infectious diseases highlighting the systemic challenges faced by women in health research and the urgent need for actionable strategies to address these disparities. Recipients receive financial support for reporting expenses and access to DNDi experts to generate comprehensive reportage.

Expected regions of focus: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal

7. Gender Responsive R&D

Women’s specific medical needs are widely overlooked in traditional biomedical R&D. In addition, women are often under-represented among those leading research in this field. We are working to upend this persistent and harmful status quo. Despite representing half of the world’s population, women are a neglected population when it comes to drug development. For example, women are often excluded from clinical trials, resulting in a lack of important data on physiological differences – especially data concerning medicine safety and efficacy in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Recipients receive financial support for reporting expenses and access to DNDi experts to generate comprehensive reportage.

Expected regions of focus: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal

8. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

AMR occurs when bacteria naturally develop resistance to antibiotics, rendering them increasingly ineffective. As a result, infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. AMR is already one of the world’s biggest killers, with 4.71 million associated deaths each year, of which 20% are in India. While the predominant AMR narrative so far has explored “excess and inappropriate use of antibiotics” as a key contributor to AMR, “lack of access to the right antibiotics” is a contributor that has largely been ignored. As per the recent findings of the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) study, AMR-related mortality has remained relatively stable in recent decades, but a sharp rise is now expected, with the number of AMR-related deaths increasing by more than 70% by 2050. The primary reasons behind this sudden surge are the rise and spread of difficult-to-treat Gram-negative infections and a lack of access to effective antibiotics across the globe. According to the GRAM study, more than 50 million deaths could be prevented through improvements to access. The MSF-GARDP grant on AMR is aimed at exploring the theme of access vs excess, from the context of India and LMICs and going deeper into the issue of lack of antibiotic access. The stories could gather insights keeping in mind the complexities of the Indian healthcare system – public vs private; primary vs secondary vs. tertiary; urban vs rural. Recipients shall receive financial support for reporting expenses and access to GARDP experts to generate comprehensive reportage.

Expected regions of focus: India

Fellows will work closely with the MSF South Asia Communications Team and mentors to finalize their reports. They must ensure coordination on the presentation or representation of any facts, anecdotes, and lived experiences, both medical and non-medical, that may affect patient privacy, rights, and access to healthcare. Fellows must pick only one type of reports below for his application:

Print/Digital: Fellows must publish a minimum of two article series (800 words each; feature or analysis) OR one long-form story (1500 words minimum) on a notable news platform. If the journalist is already working in a news organization, the organization must be willing to publish the story.

OR

Video/Multimedia: Fellows must publish one (8 minutes minimum) video story or short film, or photo essay, including photographs or illustrations, supported with text (15-20 photos and 600 words) OR two video series (4 minutes each).

As part of their application, candidates must include letters of commitment from news outlets, national or international, to publish or broadcast their work.

Fellows will be encouraged to participate in a webinar/Facebook Live session, ideally in association with another organization/MSF/media platform where the stories are published, where each fellow will speak about their work and highlight the cause.

As the selection for the Without Borders Media Fellowship is competitive, we ask applicants to provide:

  • Story Proposal: MSF expects a concrete proposal including Title of the Proposal, location(s) of reporting, well-researched pitch with references (data, news story, examples) to add context (500-750 words).
  • Medium of publication: Print, Digital, TV, Podcast
  • Letter of commitment or interest from a media organization(s) that would publish your story(ies) Names and contacts of two professional references.
  • Reporting plan: Applicants must share a detailed reporting plan that lists out the preferred start and end dates of the fellowship, field visit dates, locations, risks involved (legal and physical) etc. Pre-reporting by the applicant on the subject will be of advantage to the application.
  • List of stakeholders (institutions, organizations, collectives and individuals) that you will contact for information or insight during the reporting process of the Fellowship.
  • Three examples (links) of your most relevant stories (to the pitch) published recently.
  • List of collaborators in this story, if any (for example stringers, data scientists, illustrators, photographers etc.)
  • Tentative date of publication of this story.
  • Statement of Motivation (300 words)
  • CV or Resume.
  • Contact details of two professional references.

The grant awarded by MSF only covers reporting or travel costs. MSF expects and encourages news organizations to pay journalists for their work. In exceptional cases, we may consider stipends to cover a reporter’s time. If you are applying on behalf of a newsroom, please note that we do not allow overhead or indirect expenses in our budgets. For multimedia journalists, especially those producing news feature stories, MSF South Asia will feature their work on its website (www.msfsouthasia.org) as well.

FELLOWS

MSF introduced a fellowship for media in India in 2016. It was later expanded internationally and in the last 9 Years, it has embraced over 400 applicants across four different countries. These efforts have culminated in awarding 20 outstanding fellows who have brought forth 25  several unique narratives—narratives that delve deep into critical health and humanitarian issues across South Asia. These stories not only highlight the risks faced by many but also illuminate stories of hope. 

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Dr Chandrakant Lahariya

Dr Chandrakant Lahariya is one of India’s leading doctors, infectious diseases and preventive medicine specialist. He is also an expert in child health and vaccines. He has worked for the World Health Organisation for over 14 years at all three levels – country office in India, regional office in Brazzaville, Africa and Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. He has received several prestigious awards including Indian Council of Medical Research’s ‘Dr BC Shrivastava Foundation Award’ in 2012. In 2020 and 2021, he was listed among the top 2% global researchers in the field of Pediatrics and Public Health by a Stanford University research. He is the Founding Director of Foundation for People-centric Health Systems, which is a not for profit organization in Delhi (India) which works towards reducing the burden of diseases and preventable mortalities. He is also the lead author of the bestselling book ‘Till We Win: India’s Fight Against The COVID-19 Pandemic.

Dr Kavita Singh  

Dr Kavita Singh is the Director of South Asia for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). Her distinguished career spans clinical research, public health, and the advancement of innovative delivery methods. Dr. Singh has extensive experience working with the pharmaceutical industry, government, and non-profit organizations. She previously served as the Mission Director for the National Biopharma Mission at the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). Prior to this role, she was the Program Director for the Multi Vaccines Development Program, a non-profit scientific research society established by the Department of Biotechnology. Dr. Singh’s career also includes positions such as Director of Business Development at Fortis Clinical Research Limited, Group Leader of Medical Affairs & Clinical Research at Ranbaxy Laboratories, and Head of Medical Affairs at Shantha Biotechnics Private Limited, Hyderabad (now Sanofi Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd.) A trained physician, Dr. Singh holds an MD in Microbiology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Epidemiology. She is a life member of the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists and the Indian Society of Clinical Research.

Dr Rajni Kant

Dr Rajni Kant is a renowned public health expert with over four decades of experience, specializing in vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria and Japanese encephalitis (JE)/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Gorakhpur. As the former Director of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) and Scientist G and Head of Policy & Communications at ICMR Headquarters, his work has significantly advanced research management, health communication, and policy development. He has led critical initiatives such as TB prevalence surveys, COVID sero-surveys, and the Mission SHAKTTI program. Dr. Kant’s efforts extend beyond academia into social media literacy, community engagement, and historical health documentation. Recognized with numerous awards, his impactful contributions to health policy, research, and community well-being continue to inspire and shape public health.

 

Ritwika Mitra

Ritwika Mitra is an independent journalist and alumni of the MSF South Asia Without Borders Media Fellowship – 2022. Her work has appeared in The Fuller Project, Fifty Two, Global Health Now, Missing Perspectives, The Geographical, Open Democracy, The Wire, Article14 and Scroll. She has reported on the climate crisis, gender, caste, poverty, custodial deaths from across India. Previously, she has worked with The Indian Express, Deccan Herald, and The New Indian Express. She is the recipient of the Lorenzo Natali media prize and PII-ICRC award, and multiple grants and fellowships. In 2016, she was awarded the Chevening Scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in International Relations (gender) at University of Birmingham.

Dilrukshi Handunetti

Dilrukshi Handunnetti is an international award-winning investigative journalist, senior editor, trainer, researcher, and a rights advocate. She co-founded the Colombo-based Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and is presently employed as Mongabay’s Sri Lanka editor. She led the investigations desk at The Sunday Leader, and later held top editorial positions including Consultant Editor at the Weekend Express and Senior Associate Editor of the Sunday Observer. The recipient of over 15 local and international awards for her excellence in investigative reporting, covering the environment and column writing, Handunnetti has bagged the most prestigious journalism awards at home including the award for Reporting Under Special Circumstances in 2012. In June 2022, Dilrukshi won the prestigious Journalist of Courage and Impact Award presented by the Hawaii-based East West Center, and in November 2022, secured the coveted Vital Voices Fellowship offered exclusively to outstanding women leaders worldwide. Her work has appeared in the UK Guardian, Al Jazeera, The New Humanitarian, Himal Southasian, The New York Times and more. Currently, she is a columnist with the New Indian Express.

 

Anant Bhan

Dr Anant Bhan is trained as a medical doctor with a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the University of Toronto. He is an Adjunct Visiting Professor, Yenepoya (deemed to be University) in Karnataka,India. He is the Immediate Past President of the International Association of Bioethics. His work is focused on ethics and equity in health, mental health, digital health, public health ethics, research ethics, community engagement, ethics of innovative technologies and ethics training for professionals. He also serves as guest faculty in various educational institutions in India and abroad and has been a reviewer for multiple journals, conference scientific committees and international grant competitions. He serves as the Bhopal (India) hub lead and mentor for Sangath which is a not-for-profit organisation that works on making mental health services accessible and affordable.

Bhishmaraj Srivastava

A physician by qualification, Dr Bhishmaraj started his public health career at MSF in 2014 while working with Operational Centre Amsterdam (MSF-OCA). Subsequently, he pursued his Masters in Public Health and Business Administration in a dual degree program (MPH/MBA) at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore-USA. Through Hopkins, he had the opportunity to work in Sierra Leone, Uganda, and the Philippines among others while collaborating with organisations like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)- India, National Institute of Health (NIH) – in the USA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)- the USA among others. His areas of interest include program management and exploring the role of innovation for healthcare systems in resource-limited settings. He is currently serving in the Strategic Medical Lead position at MSF-South Asia Executive Branch Office and the Editorial Lead for the Asia Scientific Days event.

 

Leena Menghaney

Leena Menghaney is a lawyer and has worked on the rights-based approach to public health, starting her career with the AIDS treatment movement to more recently contributing to efforts to increase access to COVID therapeutics and vaccines in India. She is currently the Regional Head (South Asia) and Global IP(Intellectual Property) Advisor with the Access Campaign in Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders. She works to build partnerships between MSF medical/pharmaceutical experts and legal aid lawyers, the people’s health movement, feminist organisations and patient groups in the global south to increase access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and tests in low and middle-income countries for diseases like HIV, drug-resistant TB, Hepatitis, cancer, and COVID-19 for vulnerable and excluded populations. She has contributed to health journalism by regularly contributing opinions and articles to independent media.

 

 

Tareq Salahuddin

Dr Tareq Salahuddin is an award-winning journalist, writer and public health professional from Bangladesh. He is currently working as Editor of the Health section in ‘The Daily Star’, the leading English daily of Bangladesh. He is the founding Editor and Special Correspondent of ‘News Hour’, an online news agency. Dr Tareq is a J2J Fellow on HIV/AIDS and a member of the International AIDS Society. He is an active advocate for the health rights of women, girls and children. He was honoured by ‘Women Deliver’ for consistent and game-changing coverage of maternal, sexual and reproductive health and rights issues at the global and national levels. He is a member of the Public Health Association of Bangladesh (PHAB). He is also a former member of the Governing Council and the Policy Committee of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA).

 

RECOGNITION AND IMPACT

MSF Fellow Mahima Jain’s story ‘The Silent Pandemic of Violence Against India’s Women’ was a finalist at the Editorial Excellence Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Awards 2022. It was selected under the Excellence in Reporting on Women’s Issues (Regional) category. She was also selected as one of the top three finalists for the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award 2021. The story ‘The Silent Pandemic’ was a part of her submission.

MSF Fellow Rupsa Chakraborty’s story ‘Failing them again’ on the neglect faced by one-stop centres under the Nirbhaya Fund prompted the Maharashtra Commission for Women into action, demanding a comprehensive government report on these vital facilities.

 

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