World's top humanitarian groups sound alarm over 'worsening' attacks on medical care in war zones

By Marta Iraola Iribarren Published on 04/05/2026 - 16:52 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

The Red Cross, the WHO, and Médecins Sans Frontières denounce “failure of political will” to stop attacks on healthcare worldwide.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the director-general of the World Health Organization, and the international president of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) have issued a joint letter calling on world leaders to act and show the political leadership needed to end violence in war zones.

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“Health care must never be a casualty of war,” the organisations wrote.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2286 on health care in armed conflicts, in which over 80 member states committed to protecting medical and humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, transport, and equipment.

“The situation is even worse compared to 10 years ago. Today, we mark not an achievement – we mark a failure,” the organisations wrote in the joint statement.

They noted that as violence continues to impact medical facilities, transport, and personnel, the harm this resolution sought to prevent has not diminished.

“Every day on the front lines of the world’s most devastating crises, our teams witness the catastrophic consequences when the sanctity of health care is compromised,” they wrote.

“When health care is no longer safe, it is often the clearest warning sign that the rules and norms intended to limit the harm of war are breaking down. When hospitals and those who provide care come under attack, we face not only a humanitarian crisis, but a crisis of humanity.”

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Increased attacks on healthcare facilities

In the last decade, global health organisations have denounced attacks on healthcare, including airstrikes on hospitals in Syria and Yemen, shellings of hospitals in Ukraine and Palestine, drone strikes on a hospital in Myanmar, and attacks on clearly marked ambulances in Cameroon, Haiti, and Lebanon.

In 2025, the World Health Organization’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care reported a total of 1,348 attacks on medical facilities, resulting in the deaths of 1,981 people.

Sudan was the most affected country, with 1,620 people killed, followed by Myanmar with 148, Palestine with 125, Syria with 41, and Ukraine with 19 people killed.

So far in 2026, the WHO has registered 521 attacks in 13 countries, killing 408 people.

The pace of attacks shows no sign of slowing down. Ukraine reported a rise of nearly 20% in healthcare attacks compared to 2024.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the WHO has documented at least 2,881 attacks on health care in Ukraine, affecting health workers, facilities, ambulances, and medical warehouses.

According to MSF, recorded incidents peaked in 2024 and 2025, and preliminary data for 2026 indicate a similar level to the previous two years.

“Today, health facilities continue to be damaged or destroyed. Medical workers and patients are still being caught in attacks that result in death and injury. That is not a failure of the law. It is a failure of political will,” the organisations wrote in the letter.

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