Key Summary
- RCN and BMA urge the UK to support ICC prosecutions for attacks on health workers in conflict zones
- Killings of health workers have risen nearly fivefold in the past decade, with over 900 deaths in 2024
- Leaders call for restoring UK aid and treating such attacks as serious international crimes
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) have prompted a call for action for the safety of targeted health workers serving in conflict zones.
Recent studies have shown that the number of health workers killed in conflicts every year has soared by five times around the past ten years.
Dr Andrew Green, chair of the British Medical Association’s ethics committee, commented, “When states and armed groups break international humanitarian law with attacks on the wounded and sick, health facilities and health workers, they must be held to account, and governments around the world, including our own, all have a part to play in that process.”
They have urged the UK government to fully back International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutions of perpetrators.
“The UK government must do everything in its power to support the upholding of international law, including supporting the ICC to investigate and prosecute those responsible,” said Prof Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the RCN.
The shocking reports of the RCN International Nursing Academy revealed that the 175 health worker killing cases in 2016 jumped to 932 cases in 2024.
They also pointed out the spike from 143 health worker killings to 414 cases just between 2023 and 2024.
Data from Insecurity Insight reflected that 1,200 cases of attacks on health workers were recorded this year.
The numbers are expected to grow due to delayed reporting.
Conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, and Lebanon have significantly contributed to the high number of deaths since 2023.
A serious rise in health worker arrests is also being recorded.
The attacks on health workers make the impact of wars even worse on the communities by straining healthcare support to civilian injuries and rising public health needs.
Prof Ranger also urged UK to restore its overseas aid spending to 0.7 per cent of GDP to support the rebuilding of devastated health systems across the globe.
Senior nursing and medical leaders strongly emphasised on the need to consider such attacks on health workers, patients and facilities as serious crimes.
