Medical professionals on the frontier: ensuring safety of medical workers in armed conflicts

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Kenko Togo Tchakounte Lydie, a 5th year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FMPS) Douala, Cameroon. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Immanent violence against hospitals, patients, doctors and other health workers has become a common dreadful feature of modern war. The rentless attacks destroy lives and the capacity of  health systems to tend to those in need.

As reports indicate, in the period from 2016 to 2021, there have been well over 4500  incidents  of  attacks  against  healthcare  providers  and  facilities  in  armed conflicts across the world. Which include killings, kidnapping and sexual assault perpetuated against medical personnel as well as looting, damage and destruction to medical  facilities.  In  Africa,  Countries such  as  Central  Africa  Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Sudan and Nigeria have experienced the highest rate of attacks. [1]

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) found that within 03years, 2400 attacks against patients, health personnels, facilities and transport occurred in 11 conflict-affected countries. In 2015, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that 60% of health care facilities  in  Syria had been  damaged while 25,000 people were wounded  every month. [2]

Given these challenges, many health workers flee the conflict and violence, or leave in  search  of better opportunities  and better life, leading to health worker shortages. In  Central  Africa  Republic,  most  health  professionals  have  fled, particularly from rural areas and those based in the capital are difficult to release to those areas due to ongoing insecurity. Furthermore it has been shown that trauma severity  and  additional  life  stress have  an  important  impact  on  health  workers increasing the risk of  Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD). [3]

The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) who is a body of international rules and principles that places restrictions on the use of violence in armed conflicts, brought up a core principle to regulate the conduct of  hostilities by setting limits on methods and means of warfare. In other words, Militaries have to change their operational practices throughout any engagement in hostilities, whether it’s targeting, hospital searches, or checkpoint practices. A training of troops has to be done to go along with the changes in practices and doctrine. That will  consequently make a huge difference. [4]

Also, the ICRC have put in place measures to maintain health care systems during armed conflicts and in situations not covered by IHL stipulating that Medical personnels have arbitrary deprivation of life and the right to security just as the wounded and sick. This would contribute towards ensuring that medical personnels and facilities as well as other protected persons under IHL are  not  deliberately  targeted  thus  their  risk  of being  subject  to  attacks  is minimised. [5]

Cooperation between States and military parties is essential to create an environment where medical workers can operate without fear. There is a need to support local health workers as they bear the greatest brunt of the violence.

References:

[1]– http:/amaniafrica-et.org

[2]– https:/http://www.icrc.org/en/document/hcid

[3]– Brewin  CR, Andrews B,  Valentine JD. Meta-analysis of risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma exposed adults.

[4]– statement -http:/thenewhumanitarian.org

[5] -https:/http://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1812_Hard-to-Reach.pdf

About the author

Kenko Togo Tchakounte Lydie is a 5th year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FMPS) Douala, Cameroon. She’s an aspiring future visceral Surgeon and she’s passionate about helping the underprivileged. Currently a humanitarian advocate and her vision lies in contributing in the enhancement of her Country by being topnotch in her domain. Her hobbys: she’s an avid reader and a research addict.