HealthCare at War: Operational and Ethical Challenges

Summary: Medical and public health services in war present extraordinary challenges that fundamentally change routine practice. Repetitive strikes on medical facilities and stress borne of burnout create an environment of uncertainty. Yet, the passion to “do no harm”, act fast, and do the right thing, even under the most stressful circumstances, is strong. Multiple global conflicts challenge the often-ignored interface between the military and civilian healthcare sectors. The humanitarian focus of medicine inextricably points to a higher calling, to rising above atrocity, cruelty, and the horrors of warfare. The best reaction to the unthinkable is education; education that reinforces essential values without exception. Those saving life and limb under combat conditions are at the forefront of disaster medicine. Examining their world offers valuable lessons.