…Experts raise global alarm as attacks on healthcare worsen in conflict zones
A decade after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2286, global health and humanitarian leaders say the world is witnessing a dangerous erosion of protections meant to safeguard medical services in war.
In a rare joint statement, the World Health Organization(WHO), International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF) warned that attacks on healthcare workers, facilities, and patients have not only persisted but intensified across conflict zones.
Marking the resolution’s 10th anniversary on May 4, 2026, the organizations described the milestone not as progress, but as a stark failure of enforcement. Hospitals continue to be bombed, ambulances delayed or obstructed, and frontline health workers killed or injured in crises spanning multiple regions.
“When health care is no longer safe, it is often the clearest warning sign that the rules intended to limit the harm of war are breaking down,” the organizations stated, stressing that the issue reflects a collapse of political will rather than a lack of legal frameworks.
Local realities mirror global crisis
The global warning resonates strongly in Nigeria, where attacks on healthcare have increasingly surfaced amid insecurity.
From Madagali in Adamawa State, where medical laboratory technician Salamatu Dauda survived a terrorist attack per ICRC report, to a recent assault on two doctors at Warri Central Hospital, Delta State, healthcare workers continue to face threats even outside conventional war zones.
“We strongly condemn the assault of our members on the line of duty,” the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) noted in a press statement, dated April 13, 2026.
Humanitarian groups note that such incidents disrupt already fragile health systems, forcing patients to delay or avoid seeking care while increasing the risks faced by frontline responders.
Data cited by HumAngle, referencing the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, underscores the magnitude of the crisis.
Between 2016 and 2020, there were 4,094 reported attacks and threats against healthcare in conflict areas globally.
Within the same period, 1,524 health workers were injured, 681 were killed, and 401 were kidnapped, while 978 health facilities were either damaged or completely destroyed.
These figures signal a surge in systemic violence targeting healthcare infrastructure and personnel, with consequences that extend far beyond immediate casualties.
Experts warn that such attacks not only claim lives directly but also cripple essential services, leading to preventable deaths from otherwise treatable conditions, disrupted maternal care, and long-term public health breakdowns.
Read Also: https://businessday.ng/life/article/unsafe-to-care-insecurity-deepening-nigerias-health-worker-shortage/
Calls for accountability and urgent action
The joint statement by WHO, ICRC and MSF, calls on governments and armed groups to uphold international humanitarian law, investigate attacks, strengthen domestic protections, and ensure accountability.
It also urges states to integrate healthcare protection into military doctrine and increase funding for safeguarding medical services in conflict settings.
Despite clear legal obligations, the organizations emphasize that enforcement remains weak. Without decisive political action, they warn, the next decade could see further deterioration. “Health care must never be a casualty of war,” the statement concluded.
