Reflection on the Role of Public Health Practitioners in War

I never really thought about the role that public health practitioners play in the context of war, but now it’s something that has been at the forefront of my mind since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before this, I only ever associated healthcare in war with the treatment of acute injuries during combat, and I think most people only think of this aspect. After seeing the events of the past few weeks unfold, as well as the information in this week’s readings, I understand that war can have far reaching health impacts besides injuries. I now believe that public health practitioners must respond to conflict by addressing the many public health crises that result from a conflict.

I think a public health approach is crucial in addressing the effects of war on civilian populations, in particular. I think that the concern direct violence against those in the military that first comes to mind when thinking about war often overshadows the indirect, but still devastating consequences that war has on civilians. As we have seen in Ukraine, civilians are affected in numerous ways by a conflict, besides the obvious threat of physical harm from being directly targeted. Even as Russia targets civilians with direct attacks, thousands of people in Ukraine are losing access to necessities such as their homes, food, and water and are being cut off from healthcare. I believe that public health has great potential to help ameliorate this humanitarian crisis and that practitioners have a duty to partake in relief efforts in whatever way they can. The distance from the conflict is certainly a barrier for many who want to help, but there are still numerous ways to support public health efforts for Ukraine. I am only beginning to understand how public health practitioners around the world must play a role in providing relief to the millions of people affected in this conflict, and the numerous others around the globe such as the Syrian war refugees.

First, I think that public health practitioners must raise awareness of and educate others on these issues. The past two years of the pandemic have illustrated how powerful misinformation can be, and public health practitioners have a duty to educate others on health issues. Public health practitioners should also partake in garnering support, both political and financial, for relief services to Ukraine. As with the Syrian refugee crisis, there will undoubtedly be many thousands of Ukrainians displaced from their homes to neighboring countries that are unable to afford healthcare. I believe that public health officials must assist in developing relief programs in any capacity that they can. Another area that I think public health practitioners must play a role during times of conflict is in addressing the socioemotional consequences in both the military and civilian populations. I believe this need is evident even in the US as many veterans experience mental health crises and high rates of suicide because they do not receive the proper services up on returning from their military service. I believe that public health has an instrumental role in helping provide these people with the services they need. The mental health of civilians affected by conflict must also be prioritized to a greater extent by the public health field.

I recognize that public health practitioners already face a growing list of daunting health issues, especially after these two years of the pandemic, but I believe that they nonetheless have a duty to address the public health crises that result from war, no matter how much distance separates them. People’s contributions may differ in scale, but I believe as a whole the public health community has the potential to make a positive impact.