Armed conflicts, health and health services in Africa. An epidemiological framework of reference

Because of war, between the 1980s and early '90s Africa suffered about 5 million excess deaths and economic losses estimated at US 13 billion per year. In 1995, war was directly or indirectly affecting 550 million people in 35 countries. Besides violent deaths, injuries and disabilities, displacements of population increase the risk for acute respiratory infections, diarrhoeas, epidemics and parasitic disease. The risk for malnutrition and deficiencies is made worse by the loss of means of production, of food stocks, of commerce and by banditism. Military operations target water plants and health facilities as means of deliberately hurting civilians. Economic crisis curtails the budgets of the social sectors and, together with social distress, undermines national capacities. The delivery of health care is hampered right when hazards and vulnerabilities increase, with general greater risk of illness and death. With the cessation of hostilities, the need for curative and preventative health activities increases and is a matter of emergency, as equitable access to services is important for peace. Repatriation of refugees, demobilization of soldiers and demining require special health activities. War leaves behind new hazards and vulnerabilities such as landmines, wide availability of weapons, artificial concentrations of population, loss of national capacities and psychological disorders. All this interacts tragically with Africa's wider epidemiological realities of poverty, food insecurity, proneness to natural disasters and endemic diseases.