SESPAS (Spanish Society for Public Health and Health Administration) considers that reducing the frequency and intensity of armed conflict is not only a stated goal of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, but a necessary cross-cutting issue for human wellbeing and progress. Conflict and violence have resulted in loss of life, but also in damage to health systems, limited access to health services and the resurgence of  infectious diseases in violent conflicts. Through this lens, peace is a key structural determinant of health, an approach endorsed by the WHO in the contextual frameworks of health determinants. With this conviction, as health professionals, we denounce the injustices of wars and armed conflicts. The conflicts in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
the Sudanese civil war and the war between Israel and Hamas stand out in 2023 and are an example of the irreversible impact on the public  health of these populations.
Read the full statement here.