- The World Health Organization says nearly 1,000 people have been killed worldwide in attacks on medical facilities in conflicts over the past two years in violation of humanitarian norms, the Associated Press reports.
The report released Thursday, May 26 highlights an alarming disrespect for the protection of health care in wars by governments and armed groups, which has earned fierce condemnation from human rights groups and doctors.
The study by the Geneva-based WHO details 594 attacks on hospitals and clinics in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in 2014 and 2015, which have left 959 medics, support staff, patients and visitors dead and over 1,500 injured.
Most disturbingly, the report states that over 60 percent of the attacks deliberately targeted medical facilities, while 20 percent were accidental and the rest were undetermined.
