“The hospital alone shows what war is” – Erich Maria Remarque
Although the possibility of a full-scale war between India and Pakistan seems to have been reduced, after the state agrees to a joint ceasefire, it may be an important opportunity to consider health system preparation and how public health doctors can be better trained to deal with this uncertain situation.
The consequences of war on human health
A series of protracted wars around the world emphasize the far-reaching consequences of war on human health. A statement on racial conflict among the Sudan Ray Valley people, most (>67%) of hospitals failed, >4 million women were at risk of gender-based violence, and the likelihood of vector-borne and infectious diseases increased dramatically.
It’s not just the violence itself, there are no daily facilities such as food, shelter, water, clothing and sanitation that have brought the greatest harm to health. If accompanied by cocktails, reduced immunity, malnutrition, and increased exposure to risk factors have caused various infections to war victims, which often lead to a vicious cycle caused by interruptions in health care services, traffic outages, traffic outages, short-lived medical supplies and reduced labor, thus exacerbating these victims.
Long wars, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), can have far-reaching consequences. They have led to an increase in the number of refugees, and their overwhelming need for care puts huge pressure on the already broken health care system.
The vulnerable population (children, women of reproductive age and older people) are often the first to bear the brunt. Non-communicable diseases, mental health, vaccination services, and MCH (maternal and child health) facilities often fall into cracks in the healthcare system that has redirected the treatment of war wounds.
The medium-term and long-term consequences of this health disparity are alarming. The war has indeed led to a return to a country’s development and negated any advances in health equity. They also exacerbated environmental degradation, rapid deforestation, habitat destruction, greenhouse emissions (the third year of the Ukrainian War, which increased the emissions by 230 metric tons) Tons), natural resources polluted ammunition residues destroy natural food cycles.
We all know the environmental impacts of chemical warfare (such as the Agent Orange in the American Vietnam War) or the gene mutations observed in multiple generations after the Nagassaki explosion in Hiroshima. But despite the effects of research on environmental degradation, sometimes, the effects of more pages can even surprise epidemiologists. The destruction of Vietnamese mangroves during the war led to the creation of craters, which became a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which was the reason for the sharp rise in vector-borne diseases in the region.
Public health is a discipline that focuses on the intersection of social, psychological, physical and economic impacts of health and war, and is a bridge to the community. Experts recommend that health care alone ensures optimal care in a crisis. who manual The focus on disaster is community participation. The community is usually the first responder and should be given practical knowledge to provide first aid care. With limited formal training, operating from bombed houses, to provide care for pregnant women, to limited formal training, to limited formal training, to examples of limited formal training.
Disaster Management and Preparation
The disaster cycle involves mitigation and preparation, even before the disaster occurs. Disaster management programmes integrated with armed conflict should be available in all healthcare facilities. These protocols must be reaffirmed regularly through knowledge dissemination and simulation exercises. Emergency protocols for fuel, electricity, water and communications should be installed in place. The 700-bed Al-Shifa hospital operating in the Israel-Palestinian conflict has been disabled recently due to lack of generator fuel. Israel only uses 300 liters of fuel as aid to hospitals, requiring at least 8,000-12,000 liters per day.
The safe, strategic reserves of essential medicines, lifesaving drugs, blood bags and vaccinations are essential to establishing a flexible healthcare system. The deployment of the mobile health sector and investment in healthcare innovation are another way to improve disaster preparation. Healthcare systems with digital infrastructure already present show resilience, running through telemedicine and remote prescriptions in Ukraine. In Gaza, solar dialysis machines are used to help patients with kidney failure.
Ensure availability of emergency sanitation facilities
Continuous monitoring and documentation to examine the existing and future needs of the community is crucial. Cooperation efforts with international organizations of ICRC, MSF and WHO. Diplomatic efforts between warring countries should ensure that civilian health does not affect, which can be done by establishing neutral health corridors and the availability of aid and emergency facilities. In Afghanistan, UNICEF and Afghan health authorities negotiated a temporary ceasefire called “a peaceful day” Used to vaccinate children and continue the fight against polio in the country.
In 2008 version In terms of war and public health, Levitra indirectly emphasizes the tragic impact of war: “War accounts for more deaths and disabilities.” They also target the primary, secondary and third-level prevention strategies that public health professionals can adopt to resolve war. However, unfortunately, topics such as refugee health and the impact of war remain out of the scope of public health curriculum on a global scale.
Most countries invest in their military capabilities; however, they forget to prepare for health care. A 2000 report showed that Ethiopia spent $16 on military affairs, while in 1990 it only cost $1 on health. Instead, Syria’s Assad regime is more hostile to its doctors, who are blocked from performing their duties due to fear of persecution.
Until John Lennon’s dream of “when there is no country, no one, no one who kills or dies” can be realized, it is important for doctors to be aware of their rights and responsibilities so that they can not only protect themselves, but also suffer in war.
(Dr. Kinshuk Gupta is a public health physician and writer at Yeh Dil hai ki chor darwaja
Professor Suneela Garg is formerly Dean of Maulana Azad Medical College, Chairman of the NIHFW Program Advisory Committee
MAMC MAMC Department of Community Medicine and Director MAMC and Chairman of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Delhi)
publishing – May 11, 2025-7:12 pm ist
