(Updated 5 November 2025)
Our emergency medicine colleagues based in areas of conflict work in often desperate conditions. Healthcare facilities are often subjected to direct attacks, resulting in the loss of medical staff, destruction of equipment and an inability to treat those in need. Healthcare workers also suffer directly and indirectly as the result of attacks on the wider civilian population as a whole.
The targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers is a violation of international humanitarian law, specifically the Geneva Conventions, which protect medical services and personnel in conflict zones.
The safety of healthcare workers should never be compromised, and the sanctity of healthcare spaces must be respected by all parties involved in conflict.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine:
- Unequivocally calls for respect for international humanitarian law.
- Condemns any mass killing, deliberate starvation or siege of civilians, and demands that this must cease.
- Condemns attacks on healthcare infrastructure: Attacks on hospitals and medical centres violate human rights and international law and must cease.
- Calls for the restoration of emergency medicine services impacted by conflict.
- Demands protection for Healthcare Workers: All governments and parties involved in conflict must ensure that healthcare professionals can work without fear of harm or incarceration.
- Demands the safe release of all healthcare workers.
- Stands with all emergency care colleagues in all areas of the world affected by conflict and advocates for their protection.
- Calls for lasting ceasefires in conflict zones.
Notes:
As a College, since 2019 we have published the following in response to conflicts:
- 26 Feb 2019: A joint letter to the Government to show support for health workers and facilities attacked as acts of war
- Feb / March 2021: Joint letter to Foreign Secretary on attacks on healthcare facilities
- Myanmar April 2021 – Joint Statement Calling for Urgent Release of Professor Maw Maw Oo | RCEM
- March 2022: Reiteration of IFEM statement
- Ukraine 11 March 2022: Health facilities and personnel in war zones must be protected
- Ukraine – 30 April 2022: Guidance and resources for Ukraine
- Gaza – 4 Dec 2023: Position on middle east conflict
- Gaza – 23 March 2024: Statement on Middle east
- Conflict statement – April 2025: Position statement on the targeting of healthcare facilities and workers during conflict
- Conflict statement – 5 November 2025: updated position statement reflecting on recent conflicts to include a stronger call for respecting international law and civilians in conflict zones.
Guidance to be developed for clinicians working in conflict zones
RCEMs’ Global Emergency Medicine Committee is working to develop some guidance for clinicians working in conflict zones. The guidance, to support Members and Fellows involved in this type of work, would draw on content previously used in events and sessions we have run related to EM in conflict situations. For example:
- Moving healthcare forward in the ED: Lessons and learning from refugee and inclusion health – November 2023
- Cambridge Trauma Futures - CBRN in trauma- November 2023
- Annual Scientific Conference 2024 - William Rutherford Award lecture by Chris Hook – October 2024
- EMTA Conference 2025 - Concepts and perspectives in humanitarian response and Global Health – February 2025
- Pre-hospital emergency medicine - Humanitarian aid in Gaza – June 2025
- Cambridge trauma futures: Excellent care of trauma patients - Learning from mass casualty incidents – November 2025