International Council of Nurses condemns attacks on health workers in Syria

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has spoken out to condemn attacks against health workers in the ongoing civil war in Syria.

About 600 medical personnel are believed to have died since the outbreak of civil war in 2011.

Calls for action

In a joint statement with the World Medical Association (WMA), the ICN called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The organisations describe the attacks as targeted and add they have reached an unprecedented level which should ‘alarm the world’.

‘We in the international health community have an obligation to speak out to urge world leaders to enforce an immediate truce to protect the hundreds of thousands of innocent victims caught up in this carnage' the statement reads.

A human right to health

ICN chief executive officer Frances Hughes added: ‘Respect for health services is one of the core values of international humanitarian law and the human right to health.

‘The attacks on nurses, doctors and healthcare facilities in Syria and other nations in conflict must urgently stop, so they can continue to provide the care needed by their populations.’

The joint statement comes as only a handful of nurses have remained in the besieged city of Aleppo.

Both organisations support the International Committee of the Red Cross health care in danger project, which is aimed at raising awareness of the crisis. The ICN is also a member of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition.