Attack on health care facilities is a war crime

SLOGANS like, "Every life matters," sound so clichéd and hollow when we see the ground reality in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia armed conflict: health care workers, health care facilities and transport are getting mercilessly attacked, causing immediate and long-term damage as well as menacingly threatening the progress made on the right to health in the past decades. A former secretary-general of the United Nations has condemned attacks on hospitals as war crimes.

In 2016, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2286, strongly condemning attacks against medical facilities, transport and personnel in conflict situations. Back then, governments strongly condemned attacks and threats against the wounded and sick; medical personnel and humanitarian personnel, exclusively engaged in medical duties; their means of transport and equipment; and hospitals and other medical facilities.