Why Health as a Bridge for Peace?
Armed conflict is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity and directly and indirectly affects health. Violence is a major source of disease. War is a major source of disease causing: death and injury, the breakdown of and reduced access to health systems, the increase incidence of communicable diseases, reduced water and sanitation and disease prevention, psychosocial effects, malnutrition, etc. We need to deliver health in conflict situations. Health can be a neutral meeting point to bring conflicting parties to discuss mutually beneficial interventions. Health workers are ideally placed because of their professional and ethical position within the community.
