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Abstract
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Health care system plays a pivotal role in providing relief in areas of conflict. But is health care itself safe? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an attack as "any act of verbal or physical violence, threat of violence or other psychological violence, or obstruction that interferes with the availability, access and delivery of curative and/or preventive health services" [1]. This includes any attack on healthcare workers (HCWs), health facilities, transport and patients.
According to the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC), there were 4,094 reported attacks and threats against health care in areas of conflict from 2016 through 2020. The report stated that 1,524 HCWs were injured, 681 were killed, and 401 were kidnapped. Moreover, 978 incidents were reported where health facilities were either destroyed or damaged [2].
Many countries have reported violence against health care in their conflict zones. In the last two decades, attacks have been reported in conflict zones of Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir, Somalia, Syria, Nigeria, Uganda, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan [3].
As health care has been challenged worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, violent attacks on health care have continued. In the Palestinian territory, 61 incidents have been reported by the SHCC in 2020 where either HCWs were injured or arrested or health facilities were damaged. 2 In the recent reports, Dr. Ayman Abu Alouf, the head of COVID-19 team, and Dr. Moeen Al-Aloul were killed [4]. Moreover, Gaza's only Coronavirus test processing laboratory was attacked by an airstrike [4], [5]. Similarly, Al-Shifaa Hospital in Afrin, Syria was attacked on 14th June 2021, destroying the health care facility and killing 18 civilians, including patients and staff. The same facility has been attacked thrice since 2019 [6]. Health care facilities in zones with active conflict face a dual challenge of dealing not only with the unprecedented burden created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also dealing with victims of the ongoing conflict.
Yemen has been called the world's worst humanitarian crisis by the United Nations (UN). Attacks on health care facilities and a lack of essential staff and supplies has shaken Yemen's health care system. This weak health care system is one of the main causes of the largest documented cholera epidemic in history [7]. Moreover, the violence against health care in Yemen also increased in 2020 [2]. Yemen's already shaken health care system now faces the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, a severe cholera epidemic, and increased violence amidst a conflict.
As the conflict in Afghanistan is growing, there have been many attacks on health care. For example, according to the monthly report by Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, in June 2021, a minivan was bombed in front of Muhammad Ali Jinnah hospital in Kabul, two doctors were killed, one in Kabul and one in Farah city, five polio workers were killed, and at least four were injured in coordinated attacks. In addition, a rocket was fired at a hospital, causing extensive damage and loss of important supplies, including COVID-19 vaccines. All these attacks happened in just one month, showing the criticality of the current situation [8].
These attacks have had a devastating impact on health care...
Language: en |