Continuing to protect the delivery of health care in armed conflict or other emergencies

Further to Resolution 5 entitled “Health care in danger: Respecting and protecting health care,” adopted by the 31st International Conference and the draft Resolution entitled “Health care in danger: Continuing to protect the delivery of health care together” submitted to the 32^nd International Conference, and in line with the renewed strategy of the HCiD project, the ICRC will continue to prioritize efforts, specific to its mandate, to ensure the protection of the wounded and sick, health-care personnel, facilities and medical transports and that the wounded and sick benefit from the health-care services that they require, in armed conflicts or other emergencies.

Action plan

• Prioritize, through ICRC delegations, efforts to prevent or put an end to violations of IHL and other relevant bodies of law protecting the delivery of healthcare as well as, where relevant, continue to ensure that access to essential healthcare services and medical facilities is maintained in armed conflict or other emergencies.
• Support and collaborate with National Societies, States, professional health care organizations and other stakeholders, to develop and implement concrete, contextually relevant responses to improve the protection of the delivery of health care.
• Continue promoting and/or establishing communities of practice, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to share experiences, tools and approaches and to mobilize implementation of concrete operational measures, drawing on the recommendations from the global consultations, and in line with respective roles, mandates and capacities.
• Continue to communicate and advocate on the need to protect the delivery of healthcare, through ICRC’s bilateral humanitarian diplomacy efforts as well as in regional and global fora and, where appropriate, in collaboration with relevant international and regional organizations.