ICN letter to United Nations Secretary General calls for urgent action to end humanitarian crises and attacks on health care in conflict

In a powerful letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the newly elected President of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano, reiterates ICN’s calls for immediate action to end devastating attacks on health care in conflict zones and to give populations access to food, health care, and basic humanitarian needs. The letter follows new reports of attacks on health care facilities on Nasser Hospital in Gaza and medical centres in Ukraine as well as the recent declaration of famine in Gaza, with 320,000 children at immediate risk of death.

ICN has continually advocated for the protection of health care workers and civilians in conflict, including through its #NursesforPeace campaign, Humanitarian Fund and partnership with Direct Relief, and repeated calls for free humanitarian aid and accountability for attacks. At ICN’s recent Congress in Helsinki, ICN’s governing body passed an emergency resolution strongly condemning continued and increasing attacks on health care; calling for all parties to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) which mandates the protection of health personnel, patients, and facilities; and urging the international community to enforce accountability for violations.

As part of this advocacy, former ICN President Dr Pamela Cipriano wrote to Secretary-General Guterres in July 2024, urging action to end increasing attacks on health and address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. This new letter expresses ICN’s alarm that violence against health care has only escalated over the past year, while humanitarian conditions have drastically deteriorated.

Dr Cobos Serrano wrote to Secretary-General Guterres:

“This systematic targeting of health care and of civilians, which is illegal under international humanitarian law, cannot continue. ICN is gravely concerned that illegal attacks on health care appear to have become normalized and legitimized in warfare, and we repeat our calls for the international community to take urgent action to end impunity and enforce IHL.”

As the letter highlights, attacks on health care not only jeopardize the lives and safety of health workers, they also deprive entire populations of care. Though nurses bravely continue to provide hope and healing in conflict, they face unacceptable risks to their lives and an enormous psychological toll. Dr Cobos Serrano described testimonies provided to ICN by National Nursing Associations (NNAs) in war zones, including accounts of “the horrific impact of these continued attacks” and “the deep trauma of treating the victims of attacks and starvation, often women, children, and the elderly”.

ICN’s letter comes at a critical moment as the UN prepares to mark its 80th anniversary and International Day of Peace at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) while confronting this deepening global humanitarian crisis. ICN will be present at UNGA, bringing the nursing voice to a wide range of important discussions including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health, and humanitarian work, and hosting a side event for nurse leaders to discuss critical issues. Dr Cobos Serrano told Secretary-General Guterres that “ICN stands ready to work with the UN to defend human rights and safeguard the right to health around the world.”