Open Letter
- Daud Saeed
- Aug 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Open Letter to Australian Colleges & Governing Bodies
27 June, 2024
Doctors of Australia call for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all those taken hostage or unlawfully detained, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and the protection of health workers, hospitals, and civilians in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.
They welcome the statement released on this subject by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM), College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA), N
ew Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), and College of Emergency Nurses New Zealand (CENNZ) on 12 June 2024, and now call upon all Australian medical colleges and institutions to release their own individual statements. These statements would support positions held by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UN Security Council (UNSC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the joint position of the Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian Governments as of 15 February 2024.
Australian doctors hold grave concerns at the growing numbers of deaths and injuries of civilians, healthcare workers, and humanitarian workers in Gaza. They condemn any destruction of healthcare facilities, vehicles, and other infrastructure and resources required to maintain human health and life.
They remind their medical colleges and governing bodies that it is their ethical duty to advocate for the protection of their healthcare colleagues, and their patients. In accordance with international law, healthcare workers must be protected so they can deliver impartial healthcare. It is also the duty of healthcare professionals to advocate that health facilities, vehicles, and infrastructure required to support human health and medical work be restored, adequately resourced, and protected.
Doctors across Australia request that deliberate actions must be taken to protect civilians of all nations from escalating threats to their health, and to address their urgent health needs. This must include the safe provision, distribution and protection of sufficient nutrition, water, sanitation, shelter, and medical supplies for all people.
Doctors across Australia stand in solidarity with colleagues on the frontlines in conflict zones who risk their own lives to provide vital healthcare in severely under-resourced and dangerous environments. They remind colleges and governing bodies of the Physician’s Pledge of the Declaration of Geneva, and the solemn pledge taken to dedicate their lives to the service of humanity, the health and well-being of patients being a first consideration, respect for the autonomy and dignity of patients, and maintaining the utmost respect for human life.
Australian Doctors look forward to welcoming individual statements from medical colleges and governing medical bodies as a matter of urgency.
Signatories:
Dr Eleni Hatzis, MBBS, FRACP (Clinical Haematology)
Dr Helen Stamopoulos, MBBS, CICM Trainee
A/Prof Omar Khorshid MBBS FRACS FAMA Orthopaedic Surgeon
References:
Joint Statement by the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (15 February 2024): https://www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-statement-prime-ministers-australia-canada-and-new-zealand-0
AMA (echo of BMA/WMA, but not an individual statement): https://www.ama.com.au/articles/ama-statement-conflict-israel-and-gaza
UN Security Council Resolution 2735 (10 June 2024): https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15723.doc.htm
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), open letter to UNSC: https://www.msf.org/letter-gaza-un-security-council
The principle of neutrality: is it relevant to MSF by Fiona Terry: https://www.msf.fr/sites/default/files/2000-12-01-Terry.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZpUI52yYeX1YqGUalUxhwFmujzjNAWqqsq5Ja5kVDVeRnMzgAp0K7gfxo_aem_In3IR0SDKErkwQNdh8Qvbg
Declaration of Geneva (Physician’s Pledge): https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-geneva/
International Humanitarian Law, ICRC, Rule 25: Medical Personnel https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule25#title-2
Lived experience and testimonies of doctors (most of whom are Australian) returned from Gaza:
Dr Amy Nielsen, (The Guardian 15th May 2024). https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/15/i-have-worked-in-the-worlds-most-dangerous-combat-zones-never-have-i-felt-as-unsafe-as-i-did-in-gaza
Dr Natalie Thurtle, (MSF 24th Jan 2024, ABC 13th Dec 2023)
Dr Sanjay Adusumilli (The Guardian 19th May and ABC 3rdJune).
Dr Christos Christou, President of Medecins Sans Frontiers. (National Press Club, ABC 28th May 2024).
To add your signature, please use this link:
Comments