Global health organization cautions of repeated assaults on healthcare in Iran

The World Health Organization issued a warning on Friday regarding the numerous assaults on healthcare in Iran over the past few days, while also paying homage to the devastated Pasteur Institute in Tehran, which was destroyed in an airstrike.

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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on X that "multiple attacks on health have been reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in recent days amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East", highlighting the severe consequences of these attacks.

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The Pasteur Institute, which suffered significant damage and is now unable to provide healthcare services, is one of 20 facilities confirmed by the WHO to have been targeted, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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Established in 1920, the Pasteur Institute is one of Iran's oldest research and public health facilities, with no formal connections to the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and plays a crucial role in protecting and promoting population health, including during emergencies.

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of the centre, stating that it "plays an important role in protecting and promoting population health, including in emergencies", and its destruction has significant implications for the country's healthcare system.

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The Pasteur Institute in Paris expressed its solidarity with the researchers, students, and civilian staff affected by the strikes, sending well-wishes through a statement on its website.

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A US-Israeli attack on Tuesday targeted Tofigh Daru, one of Iran's largest pharmaceutical companies, which produces anaesthetic and cancer drugs, according to the Iranian government, further exacerbating the country's healthcare crisis.

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also reported that the Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital had sustained significant damage last Sunday, while the high-end private Gandhi Hospital in northwest Tehran had its windows blown out in the early days of the war.

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The WHO's office in Tehran was also damaged at the start of the week, highlighting the widespread destruction of healthcare infrastructure in the country.

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US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Ages", despite international law prohibiting the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, which are protected under the Geneva Conventions.

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The Geneva Conventions, agreed upon by world powers after World War II, designate healthcare facilities as protected locations, emphasizing the need to safeguard these critical infrastructure.

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According to the latest figures from the Iranian Red Crescent, a staggering 307 health, medical, and emergency care facilities have been damaged in the war, underscoring the devastating impact on Iran's healthcare system.

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Israel's repeated attacks on hospitals in Gaza during its two-year bombardment of the territory, which began in October 2023, have drawn criticism, with Israel claiming that the hospitals were being used by operatives from the Hamas militant group.

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The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, citing concerns that the country was rapidly developing a nuclear weapon, a claim that Tehran has vehemently denied.