• Albania, Shkoder. A wounded person is evacuated to a field hospital run by the Austrian army. Military personnel must ensure that all wounded and sick are treated impartially.
    • Albania, Shkoder. A wounded person is evacuated to a field hospital run by the Austrian army. Military personnel must ensure that all wounded and sick are treated impartially.
      © ICRC / B. Heger / V-P-AL-D-00042
  • Iraq, Basra. Following the shortage of fuel at most filling stations, the American army fills the petrol tank of a Red Crescent ambulance. A variety of practical measures integrated into the operational practices of the military can facilitate the delivery of health care in countries affected by armed violence, in which solutions can be very different from one context to another.
    • Iraq, Basra. Following the shortage of fuel at most filling stations, the American army fills the petrol tank of a Red Crescent ambulance. A variety of practical measures integrated into the operational practices of the military can facilitate the delivery of health care in countries affected by armed violence, in which solutions can be very different from one context to another.
      © ICRC / T. Gassmann / V-P-IQ-E-00272
  • Democratic Republic of Congo, UN forces, including military medics in North Kivu. The long and brutal conflict has caused massive suffering among the civilian population. Local medical staff personnel were not always able to reach the wounded and sick due to the general insecurity. In some cases where the emergency needs were high, military medics were also treating civilians.
  • Somalia, Mogadishu. A soldier lets an ambulance cross at a military checkpoint. Fast-tracking of ambulances at checkpoints is key to ensuring timely access to medical facilities for the sick and wounded.
  • Colombia, South Bolívar department, municipality of Montecristo. A medical auxiliary and members of the Colombian National Army in front of the Medical Post, marked by a national emblem developed to protect health-care workers. In situations of armed violence, medical facilities must be respected. For all those involved in the fighting this means ensuring hospitals are not attacked, damaged or misused.
  • Haiti, A UN MINUSTAH checkpoint, Cité-Soleil shantytown in the suburbs of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. From 2004 to 2006, this part of the capital was difficult to access by public health-care services due to insecurity. In most instances, volunteers from the Haiti Red Cross were the first to provide emergency care to the wounded and sick, as their impartial action was accepted by both the military and local gangs.
  • Libya, Misrata. A doctor checks to see if any patient needs to be evacuated. Health-care workers must provide care impartially. For the military this means ensuring medical personnel are not threatened or harmed.

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