Improving Healthcare Resilience in Wars: Insights from Recent Conflicts

This article highlights the critical need for additional security measures in health care facilities during armed conflicts, emphasizing the importance of securing vital resources such as water, electricity, medical care, infrastructure, and essential medical equipment, medications, etc., to ensure proper care for the sick and vulnerable persons. We examine the impact of conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine. This article aims to draw lessons from historical experiences and propose strategies to enhance health care resilience, focusing on key topics such as essential infrastructure, protection of health care facilities, the physical preparedness of hospitals, and the availability of alternative sources for water and electricity. Enhancing the resilience of health services requires comprehensive disaster preparedness plans for hospitals that will ensure reliable power supplies in challenging situations and provide resilient physical protection for health facilities during times of conflict. Medical facilities must prepare for emergencies involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear events, implementing water supply plans, and maintaining sufficient stocks of food and materials.