Oral

In 2009 the American Public Health Association adopted a resolution on war and health. Although APHA had previously spoken to health impacts of particular conflicts, this resolution for the first time expressed the organization’s position on both the health impacts of war and the roles public health professionals can play in preventing war, ameliorating war’s impact through restrictions on its conduct, e.g., weapons, addressing the health needs of populations during and in the aftermath in war, and resolving it. This session will review some of the dimensions of the roles health workers play, including training requirements for health workers to address challenges that arise armed conflict, strategies needed for the protection of health workers so that they are able to provide direct services to populations at great risk during armed conflict, acting as witnesses of and rigorous documentation of violations of human rights (including the right to health) during armed conflict and engaging in supporting ministries of health in developing effective systems of health services in the wake of war. The session will review particular examples of these roles in places as disparate as Darfur, Burma, Liberia, and will also describe an educational program that can help prepare public health workers to respond effectively.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify the unique and productive roles public health workers can play in regions of armed conflict beyond providing direct health services. 2. Evaluate the successes of health workers in exercising these roles. 3. Discuss the implications of the resolution passed by APHA on war and health in 2009 for public health workers.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)