Attacks on Healthcare Facilities Rising in Conflict Zones, WHO Reports
By Olivia Le Poidevin
WHO Highlights Escalating Threats to Healthcare in Conflict Zones
GENEVA, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Attacks on healthcare facilities, workers and patients in conflict zones including Ukraine and Gaza have continued to rise in 2026, reaching an average of more than four per day, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
Scale and Impact of Attacks in 2026
There have been more than 900 attacks between January and August this year, resulting in at least 900 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries, according to WHO data presented in Geneva by Altaf Musani, the agency's director of humanitarian and disaster management.
Countries Most Affected
Ukraine, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territory account for the largest share of reported incidents, although attacks have also been recorded in countries including Iran, Sudan, Myanmar, Syria, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Musani said.
Forms of Violence and Consequences
"What we are witnessing are multiple forms of violence," Musani said, citing the use of heavy weapons, destruction of health facilities and the detention or abduction of healthcare workers and patients. During this period 94 healthcare workers have been detained.
Regional Impacts and Case Studies
Gaza and Sudan
In Gaza, all 36 hospitals have been damaged and only about half remain partially functional, while in Sudan 37% of health facilities are reported non-functional this year, he said. In Ukraine, the WHO has verified more than 3,100 attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion, including a recent strike affecting a WHO warehouse.
Ukraine
"An attack on healthcare does not end when an attack gets verified," Musani said. "It is the patient who cannot receive healthcare tomorrow. It is the ambulance that cannot make the next referral."
Impact on Healthcare Services
A WHO study of 69 attacks in northwest Syria found outpatient consultations fell by 51% immediately after an attack and remained depressed for more than a month.
Disruption of Outbreak Response
Attacks can also undermine responses to disease outbreaks, Musani said. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 12 verified attacks on healthcare since an Ebola outbreak was declared in May have disrupted surveillance, contact tracing, treatment and community outreach efforts. Such incidents make it harder to detect and contain outbreaks, he said.
Recent Data from Ukraine
The 156 verified attacks in Ukraine so far this year, out of a total of 3,100 since Russia's full-scale invasion began, have affected hospitals, ambulances, warehouses and medical supply chains, Musani stated.
Accountability and International Law
Long-term Trends and Lack of Accountability
Since the WHO's surveillance system began tracking such incidents in 2018, more than 10,400 attacks have been verified across 29 countries and territories, resulting in about 5,700 deaths and over 8,500 injuries, Musani said.
Musani said not a single one of the more than 10,000 verified attacks had yet entered an accountability process.
International Humanitarian Protections
Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, he noted.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
