Attacks on healthcare during war becoming more common

In 2023, more than 480 health-care workers were killed during armed conflict, nearly double compared to the previous year

Attacks on healthcare during war are becoming more common, creating devastating ripple effects.

A report titled Critical Condition-Violence against Healthcare in Conflict by Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, states, “in 2023, more than 480 health-care workers were killed during armed conflict” — nearly double compared to the previous year.

In the most recent set of attacks, at least seven health and rescue workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Beirut overnight, an Islamic health organization said on October 3, as Israel’s battle against the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza raged.

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols form the backbone of International Humanitarian Law, protecting health workers, hospitals and patients during armed conflict. Today, every recognised state in the world has committed to complying with these laws. Yet attacks on healthcare continue.

Between January and September 2024, almost 700 attacks against healthcare facilities and staff in Ukraine and the Occupied Palestinian Territory alone have been confirmed by the WHO. This has caused more than 500 injuries and nearly 200 deaths among patients and health workers. Essential routine services such as childbirth and vaccinations get disrupted with the destruction of hospitals, leading to deaths that could have been prevented and also increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

The problem gets worsened with the increased use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas as they cause widespread harm to civilians and critical infrastructure, including health facilities. For instance, as of July 2024, 773 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals and clinics in Ukraine.

In Sudan and Myanmar, hospitals and clinics continue to be targeted, leaving millions without access to basic care. This can lead to near collapse of healthcare systems. For example, by May 2024, 32 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza were damaged or raided, with just 16 still functioning. This leaves people without essential care, worsens chronic conditions and allows diseases to spread unchecked.

Outbreaks of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and polio in Gaza have worsened because health workers can’t safely reach affected areas, and necessary supplies have been destroyed.

In the long term, these attacks gravely affect individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease, which become life-threatening without treatment. People are also more likely to leave places without healthcare services, which contributes to displacement.

There are growing calls from humanitarian and human rights organisations for stronger accountability, including the involvement of the International Criminal Court and national courts. Others propose a broader, more systematic approach that treats attacks on healthcare as a public health issue, not just a legal one. This comes at a time as tensions continue to rise in different parts of the world including in Iran and Israel, fueling concern of a wider regional conflict.

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