Documenting attacks on health workers and facilities in armed conflicts

• DOI: 10.2471/blt.15.168328
• Publication Date: 2016-12-20T15:39:02Z
• Authors: Preeti Patel; Fawzia Gibson-Fall; Richard Sullivan; Rachel Irwin
• Keywords: Health Personnel; Medical Missions; Documentation; Armed Conflicts; Global Health; 16. Peace & justice; 3. Good health; Middle East; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 5. Gender equality; Africa; Humans; Perspectives

During armed conflicts, international humanitarian law (which regulates the conduct of parties engaged in war) protects health-care workers and health facilities, wounded sick. In first half 2016, however, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported several attacks on facilities Afghanistan, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic Yemen. (1) These events have attracted media attention to a phenomenon contemporary conflict that has important ramifications for health, humanitarian, legal security sectors. (2) December 2015, Stockholm Peace Research Institute Conflict Health Group at King's College London convened workshop Eliminating violence against workers: from theory practice. Participants MSF, International Committee Red Cross (ICRC), Medical Aid Palestinians academic organizations discussed current trends presented research findings highlighted key debates gaps evidence. Some lessons can be drawn ICRC's Care Danger campaign, MSF's Under Fire as well other such Physicians Human Rights, which recently documented mass atrocities impact sector. (3-5) There is perception Of an increase number being killed accidentally destroyed (so-called collateral damage) or deliberated targeted during conflicts. Comprehensive databases been set up by independent record major incidents aid workers, Worker Security Database Humanitarian Outcomes Numbers Insecurity Insight. (6) However, even these do not currently provide health-specific data. The absence baseline routine data relating makes it difficult identify actual rising trends. Most available sources capture local who seem bear brunt most attacks. Data disaggregated sex are also lacking. Box 1 Key needs documenting conflicts * Analysis patients transport violent incidents. Collection systematic data, prospective retrospective, sex. Examination context each understand dynamics motives Disaggregation distinguish between types including workers. Public availability anonymized collected support global response prevention accountability. Assessment open threats personnel staff both before deployment immediately after conflict. Systematic analysis immediate longer-term providers care. evidence incongruous era increasingly accessible globalized Yet there many factors inhibit collection: poor non-existent collection those field (for variety reasons ranging risks insufficient capacity); bias collection; funding topic; lack developed method. efforts made monitor study (both quantitatively qualitatively), particularly ICRC MSF. multidisciplinary, collaborative, long-term retrospective studies absent--often valid reasons. …