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Health Care Workers in Danger Zones: A Special Report on Safety and Security in a Changing Environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2014

Lynda J. Redwood-Campbell ,
Sharonya N. Sekhar  and
Christine R. Persaud
Lynda J. Redwood-Campbell*
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Sharonya N. Sekhar
Affiliation:
Canadian Red Cross, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Christine R. Persaud
Affiliation:
Canadian Red Cross, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
*
Correspondence: Lynda Redwood-Campbell, MD, DTMH, MPH Department of Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences McMaster University 175 Longwood Rd. South, Suite 201A Hamilton, Ontario L8P OA1 Canada E-mail [email protected]
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Abstract

Introduction

Violence against humanitarian health care workers and facilities in situations of armed conflict is a serious humanitarian problem. Targeting health care workers and destroying or looting medical facilities directly or indirectly impacts the delivery of emergency and life-saving medical assistance, often at a time when it is most needed.

Problem

Attacks may be intentional or unintentional and can take a range of forms from road blockades and check points which delay or block transport, to the direct targeting of hospitals, attacks against medical personnel, suppliers, patients, and armed entry into health facilities. Lack of access to vital health care services weakens the entire health system and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, particularly among communities of women, children, the elderly, and the disabled, or anyone else in need of urgent or chronic care. Health care workers, especially local workers, are often the target.

Methods

This report reviews the work being spearheaded by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on the Health Care in Danger initiative, which aims to strengthen the protections for health care workers and facilities in armed conflicts and ensure safe access for patients. This includes a review of internal reports generated from the expert workshops on a number of topics as well as a number of public sources documenting innovative coping mechanisms adopted by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The work of other organizations is also briefly examined. This is followed by a review of security mechanisms within the humanitarian sector to ensure the safety and security of health care personnel operating in armed conflicts.

Results

From the existing literature, a number of gaps have been identified with current security frameworks that need to be addressed to improve the safety of health care workers and ensure the protection and access of vulnerable populations requiring assistance. A way forward for policy, research, and practice is proposed for consideration.

Conclusion

While there is work being done to improve conditions for health care personnel and patients, there need to be concerted actions to stigmatize attacks against workers, facilities, and patients to protect the neutrality of the medical mission.

Redwood-CampbellLJ, SekharSN, PersaudCR. Health Care Workers in Danger Zones: A Special Report on Safety and Security in a Changing Environment. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(5):1-5.

Keywords

delivery of carehealth care personnelhumanitarianviolencewar
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , October 2014 , pp. 503 - 507
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

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