Attacks on healthcare are dramatically increasing in conflicts and wars around the world. The Centre for Health Crises continues to highlight this unsustainable development. On September 9, Märit Halmin and Johan von Schreeb, together with representatives from Médecins Sans Frontières, the Swedish Medical Association, and the Swedish Association of Health Professionals, participated in a meeting at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to urge Sweden to take clear international responsibility
International humanitarian law states that healthcare must be protected during war, yet medical facilities, healthcare workers, and patients are increasingly being targeted. From January 2024 to August 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) documented 2,450 attacks on healthcare in 21 countries, resulting in 2,060 deaths and 2,395 injuries among healthcare workers and patients ( WHO 19-08-25 ).
The Centre for Health Crises has previously protested alongside other organizations to raise awareness and continues to advocate for accountability. In May 2025, Médecins Sans Frontières, together with the Centre for Health Crises, the Swedish Association of Health Professionals, and the Swedish Medical Association, organized a demonstration at Gustav Adolfs Torg in Stockholm. The aim was to demand government action and for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to receive the 70,000 signatures collected by Médecins Sans Frontières.
Meeting with ministers
As a follow-up, a delegation from the organizers met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa on September 9. Representing the Centre for Health Crises were Director Johan von Schreeb and intensive care physician Märit Halmin , recently returned from working at a field hospital in southern Gaza.
The purpose of the meeting was to demand that Sweden more clearly condemn the attacks, work to hold perpetrators accountable, and take a leading international role to move the issue from words to action.
The Centre for Health Crises' activities include helping to train healthcare personnel working in war and conflict zones, and the centre's director therefore emphasises the importance of Sweden doing more to ensure their safety.
"It is not enough to express 'concern,' as the minister pointed out. We demand that Sweden move from words to action to protect healthcare workers and their patients and to uphold respect for international humanitarian law," said Johan von Schreeb.
The ministers listened and noted that this was the first meeting. The participants interpreted this as a sign that the issue is being taken seriously and now await the government's next steps.
Photo above: Caroline de Groot , Head of Collaboration at the Centre for Health Crises and formerly seconded to Médecins Sans Frontières, at the demonstration where she reads testimonies from healthcare workers in Ukraine.
Previously on the same topic
Seminar on attacks on healthcare in conflicts and war, May 2, 2024:
Attacks on health care in war must not become a new norm
About the Centre for Health Crises
The Centre for Health Crises works interdisciplinarily across several areas of expertise, focusing on policy development, catalyzing research, developing education and training, and providing expert support to authorities and organizations.
A health crisis is a disruptive situation that significantly impacts people's health and exceeds the capacity of the healthcare system to manage it.
