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Handbook of WMA Policies
S-2011-03-2011 ⏐ World Medical Association
WMA STATEMENT
ON
THE PROTECTION AND INTEGRITY OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL
IN ARMED CONFLICTS AND OTHER SITUATIONS OF VIOLENCE
Adopted by the 62nd
WMA General Assembly, Montevideo, Uruguay, October 2011
PREAMBLE
During wars and armed conflicts hospitals and other medical facilities have often been
attacked and misused and patients and medical personnel have been killed or wounded.
Such attacks are a violation of the Geneva Conventions (1949), Additional Protocols to
the Geneva Conventions (1977) and WMA regulations in times of war (2006).
The World Medical Association (WMA) has been active in condemning documented at-
tacks on medical personnel and facilities in armed conflicts. The International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC) Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols shall protect
medical personnel in international and non-international armed conflicts. The warring
parties have duty not to interfere with medical care for wounded or sick combatants and
civilians, and not attack, threaten or impede medical functions. Physicians and other health
care personnel must be considered as neutral and must not be prevented from fulfilling
their duties.
The lack of systematic reporting and documentation of violence against medical personnel
and facilities creates threats to both civilians and military personnel. The development of
strategies for protection and efforts to improve compliance with the laws of war are im-
peded as long as such information is not available.
STATEMENT
The World Medical Association condemns all attacks on and misuse of medical personnel,
facilities and vehicles in armed conflicts. These attacks put people in need of help in great
danger and can lead to the flight of physicians and other health personnel from the conflict
areas with a lack of available medical personnel as a result.
Currently no party is responsible for collecting data regarding assaults on medical person-
nel and facilities. Data collection after attacks is vital to identify the reasons why medical
personnel and facilities are attacked. Such data are important in order to understand the
nature of the attacks and to take necessary steps to prevent attacks in the future. All attacks
must also be properly investigated and those responsible for the violations of the Geneva
Conventions and Protocols must be brought to justice.
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Montevideo ⏐ S-2011-03-2011
Protection and Integrity of Medical Personnel
The WMA requests that appropriate international bodies establish mechanisms with the
necessary resources to collect and disseminate data regarding assaults on physicians, other
health care personnel and medical facilities in armed conflicts. Such mechanisms could in-
clude the establishment of a new United Nations post of Rapporteur on the independence
and integrity of health professionals. As stated in the WMA proposal for a United Nations
Rapporteur on the Independence and Integrity of Health Professionals (1997), “The new
rapporteur would be charged with the task of monitoring that doctors are allowed to move
freely and that patients have access to medical treatment, without discrimination as to na-
tionality or ethnic origin, in war zones or in situations of political tension”.
When a reporting system is established the WMA will recommend to their member or-
ganisations reporting armed conflicts which they become aware of.
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