Colombo Declaration at SLEMCON 2017

The issue of attacks on medical facilities in conflict zones was brought to the fore by several presentations during the DevelopingEM 2016 Sri Lanka conference. The moving presentation by Kass Thomas describes the 2015 attack on the MSF run Kunduz Trauma Centre in Afghanistan. It contains emotional content and graphic images. A petition of the faculty and delegates at the 2016 conference recorded unanimous condemnation of past and ongoing attacks on health care facilities. At the suggestion of our friends and colleagues within the Sri Lankan Society of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (SSCCEM) an attempt to crystallise the feelings of the faculty and delegates into a formal declaration was undertaken. The resultant Colombo Declaration was presented formally during the plenary session of the very recent SLEMCON 2017 conference. The Declaration is the result of 12 months of thought, discussion and consultation and all those involved are extremely grateful to the SSCCEM for fostering its development and allowing for it be formally presented during SLEMCON. As a group we would be very grateful if you consider the Declaration enunciated below.  

 

In follow up to the release of the Declaration we plan to promote the issue across a range of platforms as well as approach colleagues, medical bodies, and government with the ultimate aim being to enhance the enforcement of the Geneva Conventions and UNSC Resolution 2286.

What can you do?

Visit the Stop Bombing Hospitals website.

Spread the word.

Educate your colleagues.

Approach your employers, specialist medical colleges, and other medical associations to promote and support the Declaration.

Write to your Federal Member of Parliament and feel free to forward the Declaration

From all of us within SSCCEM and Developing EM we thank you for your support and we hope to be able to update you on our progress with this issue very soon.