There are many conflict areas around the world where constant threats are faced by the population daily: Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Cameroon, are examples where such situations reach the internal news frequently. And the most recent one: Ukraine, so close to Europe. Nurses and many other healthcare professionals have to continue their work in those difficult and dangerous regions under life-threatening circumstances, knowing that attacks against healthcare in armed conflict, including violence, access constraints and insecurity, are a major threat to health, mainly on vulnerable groups and women.
6 years ago, the Security Council Members unanimously adopted the resolution 2286, on Protection of civilians in armed conflict, in which a broad coalition of States called for the need to promote and ensure respect for the principles and rules of international humanitarian law, and for action to prevent attacks on healthcare and for an end to impunity for those responsible for those attacks. Since then, many parties have been influenced to comply with the commitments set out. Still, the numbers of attacks on healthcare continued and will continue if no action is taken. With the war in Ukraine, it is the moment to assess the lessons learned and look at best practices and the cause of failures on the implementation of the resolution to provide the evidence base for developing a common set of practical measures that can be taken forward at national and global levels.
Taking this into account, the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC), of which the EFN is a member of, published a new report on the global trends of attacks on health care, which shows that there were more than 1.335 attacks against health workers, facilities, and transports in 2021 in conflict areas. It is therefore crucial to take action to protect frontline healthcare workers around the world, by ensuring proper respect for protective emblems, and enhancing legal protection for practice in conformance with medical ethics including repeal of laws that criminalise the provision of impartial health care based on the affiliation or political views of the patient.