Access to healthcare
in SYRIA
Team Aleppo. HL322 International Health Issues; Winter 2017
The Geneva Convention
Since humans have existed, there has been a need for humanitarian laws. Starting in 1864, the first international laws protecting human rights during war times were set in place. This international law is called the Geneva Convention. Since its first treaty, there have been an additional three treaties and three protocols added and many additional countries have signed it, agreeing to abide by the treaties.
The First Geneva Convention states that wounded soldiers and medical personnel that are not actively using brutal force must be protected and have the right to proper medical care regardless of race, sex, or religion.
The Second Geneva Convention in addition to what's previously listed, shipwrecked naval forces were protected. This included extra protection for wrecked hospital ships.
The Third Geneva Convention this convention is all about prisoners of war. It describes exactly what a prisoner of war is, how they should be treated, and exactly what information must be given to captors. It states that torture is unethical treatment used to gain information and all prisoners of war must be treated humanely.
In 1949, the United Nations wrote the fourth and final treaty of the Geneva Convention. This is the treaty of the Geneva Convention most applicable to access to healthcare in Syria. It protects prisoners of war, civilians, healthcare workers, the sick, and the disabled in times of war.
Poster Collection. source: https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/GC_poster-3.html
At face value, it may seem that an attack on a hospital is unjust. There are however few occurrences that justify this sort of ambush. The Fourth Geneva Convention states that if a healthcare facility is to be attacked, the attacking party must only do so under these three circumstances:
1) The first is that the healthcare facility is being used to commit harmful acts to the enemy and are not related to its humanitarian functions.
2) The second is that the attacking party must have an anticipated military advantage from the attack that outweighs the detriments to protected civilians.
3) The third is that the attacking party gives advanced notice of the attack which would allow time for harmful acts to cease, explanation of a misunderstanding, and evacuation of the sick or wounded.
If any of these criteria are not met, the attacking party could be held accountable for a war crime.
In the state of Syria, war crimes are being committed against civilians and healthcare workers.
Based on this information, the attacks on Syria are not only unethical, but anyone with empathy can see that these harmful acts are also morally wrong. The Syrian government has committed war crimes by wrongful acts against the people of Syria.
As per the first rule in the Fourth Geneva Convention, the healthcare facilities under attacks are directly related to humanitarian uses in Syria. The detriments of the attacks made on hospitals do not outweigh the government force's gains. The only advanced warning given to healthcare workers and citizens in the cities on Syria is seeing government air crafts flying over head, feeling distant bombs burst, and hearing neighbors cry for help.
"Let us be clear, those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what the are doing. They know they are committing war crimes. Imagine the destruction. People with limbs blown off. Children in terrible pain with no relief," he said. "Imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse."
-United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
Health workers killed in Syria. Source: http://www.thelancet.com/action/showFullTextImages?pii=S0140-6736%2817%2930741-9
Attacks on Health Care Facilities 2012-2016
The graph located above indicates a profile of Syria's war crimes. Many of the healthcare workers killed or injured in airstrikes to hospitals hold no rebellious opposition to their government, though they are being treated as terrorists. The Syrian government's devastation towards hospitals have greatly surpassed that of ISIS. The majority of the healthcare workers murdered have lost their lives due to explosion type forces. Since Russian forces joined the Syrian government near the end of 2015 more barrel bombs began falling from the skies of Syria. 2016 is noted with the highest number of direct attacks onto healthcare facilities as shown in the graph to the left.
Attacks on Health Facilities. source: http://www.thelancet.com/action/showFullTextImages?pii=S0140-6736%2817%2930741-9
The attacks on the structures in Syria are heartbreaking, they are unjust, and they are growing in occurrence.