Conflict Transformation and the Health Care Worker

Some years back I was approached by an international organization of health care providers, many of whom were working in international zones of intense conflict. Their scarce resources were barely scratching the surface of the extensive medical needs, particularly in rural areas. They spoke at length of their frustration with the conditions and the lack of respect from armed groups for their work. They repeatedly emphasized that their sole intention was to respond to human health needs not to enter the conflict.

“We are not involved politically,” they argued. “Our actions are humanitarian and neutral with respect to the issues and people involved in the conflicts. Even when all sides request our help and say they will respect our clinics, our health promoters still end up as targets of violence. Since you are an expert in handling conflict, what is the answer to this? Is health care negotiable? Isn’t it neutral and outside the conflict? Or maybe if there is no respect, we should just quit?”…