Conflict Settings: The Importance of Timely Access to Health Care

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 108; no. 1; pp. 13 - 15
• Main Author: Shannon, Harry S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Public Health Association 01-01-2018
• Subjects: Arabs; Constraints; Drugs; Health care; Health care access; Health Service Delivery; Health services; Health Services Accessibility; Hospitals; Human Rights; Humans; Israel; Maternal Health Services; Medical personnel; Medical students; Other Child and Adolescent Health; Palestinian people; Public health; Refugees; Territory; Training; Travel; Israel; Ontario Canada; Canada; Gaza Strip; West Bank; Palestinian territory; Syria
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304189

Recent reports from Syria describe attacks on hospitals and health care workers,1 and Langlois et al. described the special problems of the tens of millions of refugees worldwide and their need for essential health services.2 It would be of little surprise if the inability to access care led to short-term effects on health. Palestinians can experience problems accessing health care because of the movement restrictions imposed by Israeli military authorities.3 The authors note that there are more than 100 different types of travel permits, and the need to travel across checkpoints or other barriers arises from the lack of health care staff, facilities, or medications in some parts of the occupied Palestinian territory. Medical students in the occupied Palestinian territory report that their education is suboptimal because of the frequent barriers and delays they face, for example, in reaching training hospitals.4 DIFFICULT CONDITIONS The authors deserve plaudits for successfully completing their study in these difficult conditions.