NATIONAL NEWS
UNITED NATIONS –The Republic of Liberia has called on the United Nations and the international community to urgently strengthen protections for medical facilities and healthcare workers caught in armed conflicts around the world.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
The appeal was made by Baba Sillah during an Arria-formula meeting held Tuesday, May 5, 2026, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2286.
The meeting was convened by Denmark, New Zealand, and Spain under the theme: “A Decade of Resolution 2286: Protecting Medical Care in Conflict Amid Evolving Threats.”
Delivering Liberia’s statement, Amb. Sillah described the meeting as “timely and necessary,” warning that attacks on healthcare systems in conflict zones are becoming increasingly widespread and alarming.
He noted that hospitals and clinics, traditionally regarded as neutral spaces protected under international humanitarian law, are now being deliberately targeted in many armed conflicts.
According to him, healthcare workers are increasingly losing their protected status as impartial lifesavers, while violence against medical personnel and facilities continues to escalate.
Amb. Sillah referenced hundreds of attacks on healthcare systems recorded globally in 2026, resulting in deaths, injuries, and extensive destruction of medical infrastructure.
He warned that the growing violence is pushing already fragile health systems toward collapse, depriving civilians of critical lifesaving care and weakening long-term recovery and stability efforts in conflict-affected regions.
Drawing from Liberia’s own history of conflict, Sillah stressed that protecting healthcare during war is not only a humanitarian obligation but also a key requirement for sustainable peacebuilding.
“Conflict systematically undermines fragile health systems, deepens vulnerability, and obstructs post-conflict recovery,” he stated.
Liberia also outlined three key actions needed to strengthen protection efforts globally:
- Ending attacks on healthcare
- Strengthening accountability mechanisms
- Operationalizing protection measures on the ground
The Liberian delegation reaffirmed its commitment to working with international partners to uphold international humanitarian law and safeguard civilians and healthcare services.
The meeting featured presentations from representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Harvard Law School, and International Committee of the Red Cross.
The co-host countries also criticized what they described as a lack of political will to fully implement Resolution 2286, which was unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on May 3, 2016.
The landmark resolution strongly condemns attacks against the wounded and sick, healthcare workers, and medical facilities during armed conflict, while reaffirming the obligation of all parties to respect medical neutrality under international humanitarian law.
