Report Reveals Shocking Increase in Healthcare Violence in 2022.

Violence and threats against hospitals, health care facilities, and their personnel reached a grim milestone in 2022, with 1,989 such incidents documented by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC), a 45% increase over 2021 and the worst total number since the group began tracking the data a decade ago. The report details that at least 232 health workers were killed, 298 were kidnapped, and 294 arrested on charges such as supporting anti-government forces, participating in protests, or even just reporting the causes of protesters' injuries and deaths. The destruction of 704 different health facilities in 25 countries adds to the dearth of health care in conflict zones, leaving patients without a place to seek treatment or fearful of visiting facilities that may be attacked.