James Orbinski, MD is Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto and a Fellow at the Munk Centre for International Studies. He was the President of Médecins Sans Frontières (French "Doctors Without Borders") at the time the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Among other things, he is an out-spoken advocate for increasing the availability of anti-retroviral drugs to combat AIDS in poor countries. He is considered a brilliant orator. In 1998, Dr. Orbinski received the Governor General's Meritorious Service Cross for his work as the MSF chef de mission to Rwanda during the 1994 civil war. Médecins Sans Frontières has currently served over 70 nations in their efforts.

Dr. James Orbinski was president of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International Council. He has worked with MSF in a number of settings – including Goma, Zaire (now Congo) in the fall of 1996 during the refugee crisis; in Kigali during the Rwandan genocide of 1994; and in Baidoa, Somalia during the civil war and famine of 1992-93.

Orbinski received a Bachelor's degree from Trent University prior to his MD from McMaster University (1990), and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Toronto (1998). He was a founder of the McMaster University Health Reach Program that investigates and promotes the health of children in war zones, and he was a founding member of MSF Canada in 1990. He has been president of the MSF International Council since 1998. MSF was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize. He is closely associated with the University of Toronto's Massey College where he is a Senior Fellow and was the founding Saul Rae Fellow. In 2001, Dr. Orbinski was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent University.

External links

• Dr. Orbinski - National Speakers Bureau Profile
• Access to Medicines Campaign - Centre for International Health
• Médecins Sans Frontières – Nobel Lecture

Living people | Canadian physicians | McMaster University alumni | University of Toronto alumni | Trent University alumni