Canada's nurses voice concerns over violence in Eastern Ghouta, Syria

Canada’s nurses are voicing their concern about recent violence in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, where reports indicate that 25 hospitals and health centres have been hit, some more than once in four days. Health care workers and their patients should never be targets and Canada’s nurses are sounding the alarm and calling for action.

CFNU President, Linda Silas, wrote to Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, calling for action and echoing appeals from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, of which CFNU is a member. We are calling for:

• The enforcement of UN Resolution 2286, which includes a demand to end impunity for those responsible for attacks on medical personnel in conflict situations.
• New mechanisms to enforce compliance with international humanitarian law among parties to conflict, and hold parties accountable for violations.
• The establishment of a new international commission of inquiry to independently investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian law.

Read the full CFNU letter to Minister Freeland.

Read the report on the recent violence: Death and suffering in Eastern Ghouta, Syria: a call for action to protect civilians and health care