Health care in danger: Implement Military Operational Practice to Ensure Safe Delivery of Health Care

Model pledges under in this category reflect the recommendations from the expert workshop Promoting Military Operational Practice that Ensures Safe Access to and Delivery of Health Care*.

Conference participants could pledge to:

• Develop measures to mitigate the effects of checkpoints control on the evacuation of the wounded and sick
• Develop measures to mitigate the effects of search operations on the continued delivery of health care to the wounded and sick in health care facilities
• Develop measures to minimize the harm to health care personnel and facilities, medical transports, and their patients caused by placing military objectives within or in close proximity to health care facilities, or when attacking enemy military objectives located within or in close proximity to health care facilities
• Establish coordination and communication mechanisms and necessary protocols with health care providers.

* See Expert Workshop in Sydney, Australia, December 9-12, 2013, the document is available on https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/publication/p4208.htm

Action plan

Indicator(s) which could be considered:

• Updated mapping of formal and informal health care facilities in the area under the military’s control and in its immediate vicinity
• Updated mapping of different formal and informal health care providers operating within the area of responsibility
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and/or operational orders (OPORDs) for checkpoints developed prior to deployment and updated to specific operational contexts
• SOPs or OPORDs for search operations in health care facilities developed prior to deployment and updated to specific operational contexts
• SOPs or OPORDs for any military engagement developed prior to deployment and updated to specific operational contexts to protect access to and delivery of health care from the dangers of military operations.