Statement - A call to respect medical neutrality and protect healthcare in every conflict

At the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), our research, education, medical services and partnerships are strongly rooted in principles of equity and solidarity.

Attacks on health facilities, services, and health workers violate international humanitarian law, including the principle of medical neutrality, which must be respected and upheld by all parties. We, therefore, condemn all deliberate attacks on healthcare infrastructure and personnel.

We stand in solidarity with those living and working in both prominent and forgotten crises; - from Gaza and  Sudan, to Mali, Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan – and with all who are affected by violations of medical neutrality. We recognise the incredible courage of all health workers, researchers, patients and communities who continue to provide and seek care amid the devastation of conflicts.

ITM is committed to advancing knowledge on how crises and conflicts affect health systems and the people who sustain them.

In close collaboration with local researchers and institutions, we study access to healthcare and essential medicines in conflict-affected regions — including severe medicine shortages in Gaza, the resilience of pharmaceutical systems, access to medicines for non-communicable diseases in Northern Syria, and medicine use and prescription practices in Mali. Together, these efforts generate evidence to inform more resilient and equitable health systems in fragile contexts and translate research findings into evidence-based advocacy for health as a human right.

Crisis and conflict settings are also integral to ITM’s educational programmes. Through case studies and guest lectures from health workers in affected areas, we prepare students and professionals to engage with the complex realities of delivering care in fragile contexts.

To further this mission, ITM is strengthening its scholarship programme to better support scholars in danger, health workers and researchers from conflict zones who seek to continue their training and share insights from their experiences.

“Deliberately targeting healthcare and health workers undermines both human dignity and the foundations of recovery. Respect for medical neutrality is essential in every conflict. Our collective responsibility is to protect those who provide and those who seek care, even in the most difficult circumstances. We remain committed to building a world where healthcare is a basic human right, and a safe place for everyone, no matter how challenging the situation.”

Dr Özge Tunçalp, ITM’s Executive Director