Health Care In Danger: The Responsibilities of Health-Care Personnel Working in Armed Conflicts and Other Emergencies

This guide is intended to help health-care personnel adapt
their working methods to the exigencies of armed conflicts
and other emergencies. The provision of health care
in these circumstances can give rise to many unforeseeable
dilemmas. The guide cannot provide answers to such
dilemmas; it should, however, provoke reflection, ease the
making of decisions, fuel discussion and, ideally, provide
guidance for practice in the most difficult circumstances.
It may be difficult to discuss the subjects dealt with in
the guide during an armed conflict or other emergency.
Health-care personnel should consider their responsibilities
in armed conflict or other emergencies in advance; that
is, before they take on the responsibility of caring for the
wounded and sick. It is essential that time and consideration
be given to these issues beforehand. For all health-care
personnel, this should be part of their training and practice.
Doctors, nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists, dentists,
hospital administrators, porters, ambulance drivers, and
humanitarian aid workers: these are only some of the people
at whom the guide is aimed. This inclusive approach
reflects the broad definition of “medical personnel” in
humanitarian law.4 It must be noted that this definition
includes both military and civilian health-care personnel.