There is a “rising tide of violence against physicians and health professionals," the World Medical Association has warned.
The warning comes in a new policy statement outlining the need for violence prevention programmes and the many challenges they face, such as inadequate or non-existent reporting, inadequate investment in prevention programmes and support services, and failure to enforce existing laws.
Dr Miguel Jorge, the new President of the World Medical Association, wants to see security posts in all health care facilities to help combat incidents of violent attacks.
He said: ‘Violence has become a significant public health challenge. Attacks on health care facilities, health care personnel, and the sick and wounded are in direct breach of medical ethics, international humanitarian and human rights laws.
“These failures are to do with a lack of leadership, and social determinants such as unemployment, poverty, health, gender inequality, and poor access to educational opportunities.
“So we are proposing a series of measures, including the provision of security posts and efficient surveillance in all health care facilities. It is time that governments demonstrated their political commitment to tackle the shame of violence on our health services.”
In September the outgoing President, Dr Leonid Eidelman, made similar points about the increasing trend of violence against health professions across the world.
He stated: ‘Health professionals are threatened and attacked, sometimes even when they provide life-saving emergency care. Such violence affects profoundly health professionals in the discharge of their duty as well as their physical and moral integrity, with unavoidable consequences on the provision of health care and patients’ safety.
“Furthermore, the proliferation of such violence tends to make these acts a common occurrence, instilling mistrust against health professionals.”
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