Health Care in Danger Project

23 June 2015
12:58
IRIMC
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Health Care in Danger (HCiD) is an ICRC-led project of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement scheduled to run from 2012 to 2015. It aimed at improving the efficiency and delivery of effective and impartial health care in armed c...

Health Care in Danger (HCiD) is a Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement initiative calling on states, armed carriers, the health care community, humanitarian actors, and other concerned parties to implement measures to improve the security and delivery of impartial and efficient health care in armed conflict and other emergencies. All of them have a role to play to protect health care.

According to a published report by the ICRC which documented 2,398 incidents against health care in 11 countries, over 4200 people were victims of violence against health care. It also revealed that over 50% of attacks were around, inside, or targeted health care facilities, 598 of health care workers were killed or beaten/wounded and over 700 medical transports were affected directly or indirectly.

Within the framework of the project, medical ethics constitute a major area of cooperation between the ICRC and the WMA. This was formalized by a Memorandum of Understanding signed on the 26th of June 2013. With this agreement, the WMA aims to contribute to the development of the project, especially by addressing the responsibility of health-care personnel in armed conflicts and other emergencies.

A series of expert consultation took place, each designed to come up with practical recommendations to enhance the protection of health-care providers and beneficiaries in armed conflicts and other emergencies. The WMA participated in some of the consultations related to the role and responsibilities of health care personnel.

In May 2013, the ICRC set up a Health Care in Danger Network, a web-based interactive platform that gathers organizations and individuals working to improve safe access to health-care in armed conflict and other emergencies. The Network allows members to access and contribute to a resource center dedicated to the issue documents and tools. Members can also exchange practical experience, share a community calendar and follow on recommendations developed during the Health Care in Danger workshops.

In October 2014, the ICRC launched a new e-learning on health care responsibilities in times of conflict and other emergencies. This module is specifically designed to help health-care personnel understand the effects of violence on health care, their own rights and responsibilities and ethical dilemmas they may face in situations of violence. "This e-learning module is an essential tool bringing clarity to all and will empower physicians worldwide," said Dr. Xavier Deau, President of the World Medical Association. "It will enable them to understand their rights and responsibilities and ethical obligations in situations of emergency. The WMA warmly welcomes this ICRC initiative.

On June 30th, the Humanitarium (Geneva) hosts a public live streamed conference (18:00 - 19:30 GMT+2) to mark the launch of a first-of-its-kind code of ethics, the “Ethical Principles of Health Care in Times of Armed Conflict and Other Emergencies”

The panel discussion will gather the authors and signatories of this common core on ethics. Keynote Speech: Mr. Peter Maurer, President of the ICRC Moderator: Ms. Pascale Meige, Deputy Director of Operations, ICRC Panelists: Dr. Otmar Kloiber, Secretary General, World Medical Association (WMA), Dr. David Benton, Chief Executive Officer, International Council of Nurses (ICN), Major General (ret.) Roger Van Hoof, Secretary-General, International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM), Mr. Luc Besançon, General Secretary & Chief Executive Officer, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).

Within the framework of the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) project, the World Medical Association (WMA), the International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM), the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) were consulted by the ICRC with the aim of these organizations agreeing on a common denominator of ethical principles of health-care applicable in times of armed conflict and other emergencies.

Dr. Shima Naghavi, Director of International Affairs