ABSTRACT
The nature of armed conflict and, subsequently, its relation to health has changed a great deal during the past few decades. Whereas before the Second World War it was the norm for young men from different countries to dress in distinctive uniforms and to fight to the death to defend the honour of their respective countries, today it is quite rare. Today, most conflict is intra-statal and most of the ‘dogs of war’ (Shakespeare 1623) are unleashed not on rural battlefields, but in the very midst of cities, villages, and rural communities. While in the past armed combatants comprised the vast majority of casualties during periods of conflict, today as many as 90 per cent of deaths during times of conflict are incurred by the civilian population. While it remains important to tend to the needs of those fighters who are ‘hors de combat’ (the principal consideration that led to the formation of the International Committee of the Red Cross), it has become even more important, in terms of addressing the magnitude of human suffering, to address the humanitarian needs of civilian populations that may never have been explicitly involved in the conflict but have been caught up in it, quite unintentionally and through unfortunate circumstances. In this chapter, we will discuss the effects of conflict on health and on health systems, highlighting the evidence and debates in the field, as well as promising directions.
