Attacks on Health Care in Syria — Normalizing Violations of Medical Neutrality?

Abstract

In late July 2015 a 26-year-old pediatrician described to our team of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) investigators his experiences in Aleppo, Syria's most populous city. When he was a medical student in 2012, government forces detained and severely beat him. He now works as an emergency medicine physician and surgery resident in a hospital that has twice been bombed by the Syrian government. He lives in fear of being killed by bombs on his way to or while working in his hospital. His family wants him to leave Syria as they did, but he explained why he stays: "It's our country, and if we leave, it will fall apart. At times, I think maybe I will leave and specialize and come back with better skills, but then I see how much the people need me. Maybe that's the biggest thing that's keeping me inside."

Healthcare under siege: a qualitative study of health-worker responses to targeting and besiegement in Syria

“…Ratified by 196 countries, including Syria, they require all parties to protect and ensure safety of health facilities, personnel, wounded civilians and wounded combatants 10. Attacks on healthcare have been reported in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone,11 12 but have been ‘exceptionally egregious’ in Syria 13 14. For example, Physicians for Human Rights reported at least 542 attacks on 348 health facilities between March 2011 and September 2018,15 490 committed by the Syrian Government and its allies 16.…”

“…Médecins Sans Frontières reported the insecure conditions within which Syrian health-workers operated, including lack of human resources, hospital beds, fuel and medicines 39. This contributed to disease outbreaks (eg, polio40), dangerous shortages of qualified health-workers—particularly doctors,13 16 and remaining facilities overloaded with injured patients. Women increasingly chose caesarean sections to control time and location of delivery, while elective healthcare dropped severely.…”

Rethinking the right to work for refugee Syrian healthcare professionals: a call for innovation in global governance

“…9 Such egregious acts are clear violations of the Geneva conventions and medical neutrality in war zones. Less attention has been given to the health of refugees who now live outside Syria, particularly in neighbouring developing countries, despite reasons for concern.…”

Improving the Safety and Security of Those Engaged in Global Health Traveling Abroad

“…Some health care professionals believe that their profession shields them from attacks, but they may be upset to know that attacks specifically targeting health care providers are increasing, particularly in conflict zones, but also in post-conflict and non-conflict zones 11 – 15 . Acts of violence targeting health care providers violate international humanitarian laws 16 and have caused innumerable losses, prompting an outcry among those who believe in medical neutrality 17 – 19 . Between 2012 and 2014, of all armed violence incidents against the health care system, the majority of the targets were health care facilities, followed by medical transports 20 …”