Resolution 4 : Health Care in Danger: Continuing to protect the delivery of health care together | Power of humanity: Red Cross Red Crescent

National Society

Name, position and email of the focal person

Gabriela Poller-Hartig, Head of International Relations, gabriela.poller-hartig@roteskreuz.at

1. Which measures have you put in place in order to enhance the secure functioning of health care (personnel, facilities and medical transport)?

Security is in the field of ambulance services permanent on the agenda of trainings and education; nevertheless the overall situation in Austria is very secure and safe. Incidents during ambulance operations are down to almost zero. (out of 3.8 million transports, about 0.001 percent)

In terms of preparedness the ARC put in place a new operational concept in 2017 which will be followed in cases of terror attacks or rampage.

What strategies has your National Society adopted to promote and implement the HCiD recommendations throughout the country?

Security and de-escaltion trainings are part of the schedule of EMT and paramedics training.

The Health Care in Danger campaign was supported on ARC new and social media channels. See for example: http://www.roteskreuz.at/nocache/berichten/fotos/weltrotkreuztag-2015/

2. What concrete actions have you conducted to collect and analyze data related to violence against the wounded and sick, health care personnel and facilities, and medical transport? How did you use this information to develop practical measures to address such violence?

Twice a year the acutal security situation in Austria is revewied by operational managers of the ARC. Should these analyses show results and needs for changes, curricula, operational tactics, protective gears or security mechanisms are adjusted accordingly.

3. What actions have you taken to enhance your staff and volunteers’ understanding of the rights and responsibilities of health care personnel? In addition, have you implemented concrete measures (e.g. Safer Access Framework, “Stay Safe” toolkit, uphold and abide by the Fundamental Principles, etc.) to ensure the safety of health care delivery?

4. As an auxiliary to your government, what activities have you initiated with your government to promote and advocate efforts to address the issue of violence against the wounded and sick, health-care personnel and facilities, and medical transport?

The ARC has analysed Resolution 4 – Health Care in Danger- by the legal department with a view to establish the relevance for the Austrian national context and to find out whether any legislative or other action might be necessary to implement the resolution.

With regard to resolution 4 the results of the analysis indicate that in the absence of armed conflict, civil unrest, major disasters or other situations of violence and in light of the existing rules and regulation which are already in force in Austria there does not seem to be an need for any major implementation measures.

Nevertheless there could be a need for additional research on the issue to understand the reasons for attacks on health care facilities in situations of conflict even better.

Results of our analysis were shared with the national IHL commission in early 2016.

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