Health 
On 1 June 2026 the All-Party Parliamentary Health Group (APHG) partnered with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Global Health and Security on a parliamentary roundtable discussion focused on the protection of health workers in fragile and conflict-affected states.
Chaired by Dr Beccy Cooper MP and Dr Simon Opher MP, the discussion brought together expert perspectives from:
- Dr Andrew Green (BMA Medical Ethics Committee)
- Elly Nott (David Nott Foundation)
- Liz Harding (Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
- Rebecca Inglis (Healthcare Workers Watch)
- Dr Thinn Hlaing (Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET).
The session explored the growing risks faced by health workers in conflict settings, the impact of attacks on healthcare systems, and the role the UK can play in strengthening protection and accountability. Participants drew from personal experience and expertise to highlight the widespread and systematic targeting of healthcare workers as a military strategy in conflict zones across the globe. They emphasised this phenomenon is occurring not just in Gaza, but in many other fragile and conflict-affected states such as Myanmar, Syria, and South Sudan, and yet this issue is receiving relatively little media or political attention.
There was widespread consensus among participants that there ought to be stronger protections for healthcare workers in conflict areas, and an agreement that more awareness should be raised to increase the political saliency of this issue. In light of the discussion, Dr Beccy Cooper MP announced her intention to write to the Foreign Office on this issue, and participants agreed that organising more parliamentary events and increasing external communication outputs could help to put this issue on the political agenda.
For further information, please contact Jasmin Adebisi (jasmin.adebisi@policyconnect.org.uk)
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