War and conflict are major causes of human suffering. They also cause environmental degradation, perpetuate inequalities and undermine democracy. Nuclear bombs and other indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction are incompatible with the public health aims of safety and health protection.
But a vast complex of standing armies, militias, weapons manufacturers, arms traders and politicians promote war, violence and militarism out of self-interest and greed, or because they fail to see better alternatives for resolving conflict and disputes.
Health professionals have a long history of: providing humanitarian relief; facilitating ceasefires and the cessation of conflict; promoting disarmament and peacebuilding; and providing impartial evidence on the perpetration of war crimes.
Medact grew out of the medical peace movement and is the UK affiliate of the Nobel Laureate International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
Medact continues to promote disarmament and encourage investment in nonviolent responses to conflict; seek the abolition of nuclear weapons; and reduce the power and influence of the global military-industrial complex. It promotes the universal right to health as a platform for peace building and more effective international diplomacy and cooperation.
Latest
Either Civil Rule or Everlasting Sit-in
Since December 2018, protests across Sudan have been taking place almost daily – with healthcare workers playing a central role. In this piece, we provide the background to the ongoing struggle and platform the voice of Dr. Mohammed Abdelraoof Hussien, a doctor in Sudan.
AGM Weekend 2019
Plans are underway for our 2019 AGM weekend, to coincide with Stop The Arms Fair protests against DSEI in London this September.
Cuba & International Health – with Dr Enmanuel Vigil Fonseca
Join us to hear Dr Enmanuel Vigil Fonseca, a volunteer for Cuba’s Henry Reeve Medical Brigade, discuss Cuba’s healthcare and medical internationalism – drawing on a wealth of experience in Cuba, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Western Sahara and Ecuador.
Submission to House of Lords inquiry into Nuclear non-proliferation & Disarmament
In early 2019, members of Medact's Nuclear Weapons Group produced submissions to two parliamentary inquiries relating to nuclear weapons. The following written evidence was submitted to the House of Lords International Relations Committee Inquiry into Nuclear...
War, violence and the mental health crisis in Kashmir
Kashmiri student and Medact member Neelam Iqbal writes about the mental health toll of the decades long conflict and calls for us to pay more attention to the needs of the people of Kashmir.