Health workers toil through the world, bringing medicine, food, aid and comfort to sick and vulnerable people during times of crisis. But many regions are dangerous, and sometimes workers are attacked.
A new report shows that 973 attacks on health care workers and patients occurred in 23 countries in 2018. Hospitals and health clinics in 15 countries were bombed.
The sixth annual report was published in May by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The researchers — who acknowledge the tally is not comprehensive, as many incidents go unreported and reported incidences are not all recorded — relied on records from the World Health Organization, the United Nations and other organizations.
Most of the attacks occurred in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Palestinian territory. Of the attacks, 167 health workers died and 710 were injured.
Compared to those in 2017, attacks increased in 2018 by 272, according to the report, “Impunity Remains: 2018 Attacks on Health Care in 23 Countries in Conflict.”
APHA and 39 other organizations are part of the coalition, which hopes to pressure the United Nations to condemn and intervene on behalf of the rights of health workers.
Three years ago, the U.N. passed Resolution 2286 to protect health workers from violence. But rarely are countries held to account, further jeopardizing workers in areas in conflict, the report said.
“Attacks deprive populations of access to health care and jeopardize the achievement of the World Health Organization’s goals for universal health coverage,” the report said.
In several countries, such as Libya, Yemen, Nigeria and Syria, more than half of the facilities and hospitals were not fully operational due to attacks. According to the report, 71% of all attacks were from the state government, a disturbing find that deserves international attention and intervention, the report said.
Advocates made recommendations in the report for codifying protection of health workers into domestic laws and improving investigations, surveillance and accountability procedures from governments and the U.N.
To read the report, visit www.alnap.org.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association