Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doctors, Hospitals Increasingly Caught In Crossfire Despite Geneva Conventions
The New York Times: In Global Conflict Zones, Hospitals And Doctors Are No Longer Spared
Over last two decades, as the principle of sparing health care workers and facilities has continually eroded, the most dangerous incidents have been carried out by state actors, said Michiel Hofman, who is an operational coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan and a veteran of medical aid delivery in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Yet Article 18 of the First Geneva Convention, ratified by United Nations member states after World War II, says that civilian hospitals “may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the parties to the conflict.” Article 20 of the convention says that health care workers similarly must be protected by all sides. (Nolen, 10/21)
AP: A View From The ‘Nightmare’ Of Gaza’s Hospitals
The only thing worse than the screams of a patient undergoing surgery without enough anesthesia are the terror-stricken faces of those awaiting their turn, a 51-year-old orthopedic surgeon says. ... A shortage of surgical supplies forced some staff to use sewing needles to stitch wounds, which Dr. Nidal Abed said can damage tissue. A shortage of bandages forced medics to wrap clothes around large burns, which he said can cause infections. A shortage of orthopedic implants forced Abed to use screws that don’t fit his patients’ bones. There are not enough antibiotics, so he gives single pills rather than multiple courses to patients suffering terrible bacterial infections. “We are doing what we can to stabilize the patients, to control the situation,” he said. “People are dying because of this.” (Debre andShurafa, 10/21)
AP: Dwindling Fuel Supplies For Gaza's Hospital Generators Put Premature Babies In Incubators At Risk
At least 130 premature babies are at “grave risk” across six neonatal units, aid workers said. The dangerous fuel shortages are caused by the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which started — along with airstrikes — after Hamas militants attacked Israeli towns on Oct. 7.At least 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza are unable to access essential health services, and some 5,500 are due to give birth in the coming month, according to the World Health Organization. (Shurafa, Magdy and Kullab, 10/22)
Modern Healthcare: War In Israel Spurs Support For Digital Health Startups
The October attacks this year ignited the Israel-Hamas War and spurred the country's startup ecosystem into action. Newer companies are receiving support, from the Israeli government and tech leaders, as well as from U.S.-based healthcare partners. However, anti-Israel sentiment at some U.S. universities threatens long-term relationships between the startups and academic institutions. (Perna, 10/20)
In other global health news —
The Hill: How ‘Unauthorized Status’ Is Threatening US Global HIV Initiative
The reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), America’s global initiative to combat HIV, was one of the casualties of the fight to circumvent a government shutdown, with certain authorizations for the program expiring last month. The program can continue to operate into next year with preapproved funding, but advocates worry the damage has already been done to the U.S.’s reputation as a leader in the fight against the HIV epidemic. (Choi, 10/22)
Reuters: Three Listed Chinese Firms Used Endangered Animal Parts As Ingredients, Report Says
Three publicly traded Chinese drugmakers which count global banks such as UBS and HSBC as investors have used parts of endangered animals as ingredients in their products, an environmental group said. ... The three companies are among a list of 72 firms the environmental non-profit organization (NGO) said used body parts of threatened leopards and pangolins as ingredients in at least 88 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. (Silver andLi, 10/22)
