WHO condemns targeting of medics, ambulances at wartime

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS. The representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) condemn the cases of targeting of medics and ambulances during war situations, Flavio Salio, WHO EMT Network Leader told reporters during the 5th Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Global Meeting in Yerevan.

He said that the medical workers should never be under target during military operations.

“Unfortunately, the attacks on medics and their targeting have become much more in the past five years. It is definitely a crime and should be condemned”, he said.

Gerald Rockenschaub, WHO Regional Emergency Director for Europe, stated that every time they hear about such incidents happening in Armenia, they are conducting documentation. “We have registered 150 similar cases in Ukraine’s case”, he said.

Armenian Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan also condemned such actions and emphasized that all attacks on ambulances as a result of both the 44-Day Artsakh War and the latest aggression of the Azerbaijani armed forces have been documented.

“All evidences are presented both though monitoring challenges and to the WHO. Such acts must always be strongly condemned and never be repeated”, she said.