Taking a Stand: Experts Urge Action Against the Weaponization of Healthcare

The term “healthocide” captures the alarming trend of attacking healthcare systems during conflicts. This commentary in BMJ Global Health urges medical professionals to speak out against the use of healthcare as a weapon. Silence in these situations can be seen as complicity, undermining humanitarian laws and medical ethics, according to Dr. Joelle Abi-Rached and her team from the American University of Beirut.

Focusing on conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza, they highlight disturbing data. From October 2023 to January 2025, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported the death of 217 healthcare workers, along with numerous attacks on ambulances and hospitals. In Gaza, at least 986 medical personnel have lost their lives since early October, including many doctors and nurses.

The situation is dire. Hospitals are not just targeted; access to care is dangerously blocked. Ambulances are sometimes attacked or prevented from reaching those in need. The protections usually offered by international humanitarian law seem increasingly ineffective.

Despite the severity of these attacks, medical associations in regions like America and Europe have largely remained quiet. The authors question if doctors are ready to abandon the principle of medical neutrality, which has its roots in the brutal wars of the 19th century and evolved further after WWII.

The authors believe that recent years have seen attacks on healthcare become alarmingly normal. This “healthocide,” they argue, represents a deliberate effort to destroy health systems for ideological reasons, setting a dangerous precedent. Ignoring these attacks can embolden future violators and undermine impartial medical care during crises.

The message from the authors is clear: medical neutrality is not merely political; it stands for social justice and humane policies. They call on healthcare professionals to advocate for justice, enforce humanitarian laws, and document abuses to maintain the integrity of medical care.

Today, as modern warfare involves advanced technology like drones and AI, the protection of healthcare becomes even more critical. The risk of normalizing attacks on healthcare is a threat to both public health and ethical medical practice. It’s crucial for medical professionals to reflect critically and act decisively in defense of healthcare rights and ethics amid conflict.

For those interested in a deeper look, the original study is available here.

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Healthcare, Global Health, Public Health, Research