WHO Reports Over 10,000 Healthcare Attacks Since 2018

More than 10,000 violent incidents targeting medical infrastructure and health workers have been recorded globally over the past six years, according to data released by the World Health Organisation on Friday. According to Dawn World, these incidents across 29 countries and territories have left approximately 5,700 people dead and another 8,500 injured since 2018.

The statistics were presented during a media briefing in Geneva by Altaf Musani, the director of the global health body's humanitarian and disaster management unit. He highlighted that the majority of these documented attacks were concentrated in Ukraine, Lebanon, and Palestinian territories. Despite the severe casualty count and widespread damage, not a single individual or organization has been brought to justice for these actions.

Addressing the persistent legal impunity surrounding these strikes, Musani noted that accountability mechanisms could extend beyond the national level to address international violations. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has repeatedly underscored the fundamental stance that healthcare services, staff, and patients must never become targets under any circumstances.

While the agency maintains a systematic registry to verify and document incidents affecting medical operations worldwide, officials stressed that the organization does not attribute responsibility or assign blame. Because it functions as a global health body rather than an investigative authority, the agency relies on external legal bodies to pursue accountability for violations committed against medical teams.