"Stop Military Wars" and "Saving Lives". Lessons from COVID-19 Pandemic

Document Type : Editorial

Author

NICU, Pediatric Department, Minia University, Egypt

Abstract

          COVID-19 infection is the most popular and dramatic medical problem now. World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than 1 million and 500,000 cases infected with COVID-19 and more than 83 thousands cases died worldwide and 1450 infected cases and 93 deaths in Egypt up to date of writing this massage (8 April,2020). The main causes of mortality were respiratory failure, embolism, acute renal failure, heart failure due to myocarditis and severe inflammatory response. Insufficient respiratory support systems (mechanical ventilators) and availability of health services to face the very rapid spread of COVID-19 were the main challenges for health-workers. Saving lives is so important than any gain from any military wars whatever the cause. If we looked to the map of military wars and conflicts, you can judge that those people who drive these wars are stupid enough to continue these wars whatever the causes and whatever the results or gain. We can benefit from trillions of money in health service as an alternative to wars. In conclusion: "Live in peace, love each other and save lives" is an important massage from COVID-19 Pandemic that is we can learn and teach it for our sons and daughters.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Background:

         No doubt, COVID-19 infection is the most popular and dramatic medical problem now either on the official or non-official websites. World Health Organization (WHO) reported - up to date of writing this massage (8 April,2020)- that more than 1 million and 500,000 cases infected with COVID-19 and more than 83 thousands cases died worldwide and 1450 infected cases and 93 deaths in Egypt [1]. The main causes of mortality were respiratory failure, embolism, acute renal failure, heart failure due to myocarditis and severe inflammatory response [2]. Insufficient respiratory support systems (mechanical ventilators) and availability of health services to face the very rapid spread of COVID-19 were the main challenges for health workers [3].

In countries like USA, Italy, Spain, Iran, United Kingdom and France the spread of infection was too rapid to catch, causing the most reported mortality cases per day reaching more than one thousand per day in Italy and Spain [4, 5]. When you follow these mortality rates, you feel that you are in front of a war against human being. We should learn from this war that saving lives is the golden main corner stone of life.

Saving lives is so important than any gain from any military war whatever the cause. If we looked to the map of military wars and conflicts, you can judge that those people who drive these wars are stupid enough to continue these wars whatever the causes and whatever the results or gain.

In absence of COVID-19 infection, trillions of dollars had been - and will be- spent on military wars and conflicts all over the world [6,7]. Simply, you can look at Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Gaza , Afghanistan, Somalia, ……. etc. to imagine how many people died, diseased, wasted, infected and lost their families and their lives secondary to wars [8-10] .

 

Many studies reported the impact of military wars and conflicts on health of children and adults. It may be mental, psychological, nutritional due to shortage of food and water, infections secondary to lack of health services and others. Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) is one of those health services affected also secondary to disruption of medical equipment supply [11-15]. Coronavirus outbreak could disrupt the U.S. drug supply as well as educational disruption and response [16, 17]. So, the relationship between impact of military wars and shortage of availability of enough health services is obvious to all and we can benefit from trillions of money in health service as an alternative to military wars (Figure 1).

In conclusion 

"Live in peace, love each other and save lives" are important massages from COVID-19 Pandemic that is we can learn and teach it for our sons and daughters.

  1. WHO–China Joint Mission. "Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)" (World Health Organization). Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  2. Lau, Hien; Khosrawipour, Veria; Kocbach, Piotr; Mikolajczyk, Agata; Ichii, Hirohito; Schubert, Justyna; Bania, Jacek; Khosrawipour, Tanja. "Internationally lost COVID-19 cases". Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection. (March 2020). doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2020.03.013
  3. Deerwester, Jayme; Gilbertson, Dawn. "Coronavirus: US say 'do not travel' to Wuhan, China, as airlines issue waivers, add safeguards"USA TodayArchived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  4. "Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 February2020.
  5. "Coronavirus Cancellations: An Updating List"The New York Times. March,2020
  6. Çelikel A, Karbeyaz K, Kararslan B, Arslan M, Zeren C. Childhood casualties during civil war: Syrian experience Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 2015; 34 1-4.
  7. Veronese G, Pepe A, Jaradah A, Murannak F, Hamdouna H. “We must cooperate with one another against the Enemy”: Agency and activism in school-aged children as protective factors against ongoing war trauma and political violence in the Gaza Strip, Child Abuse & Neglect 2017; 70:364-6.
  8. Impact of Armed Conflict on Children". United Nations Report. 1996.
  9. Hill, Stephen M. "United Nations Peacekeeeieiei Disarmament and Conflict Resolution." United Nations Disarmament Processes in Intra-State Conflict (2005): 1-26. Web.
  10.  Globalization Denied: Gender and Poverty in Iraq and Palestine, in The Wages of Empire: Neoliberal Policies, Armed Repression, and Women's Poverty, Jennifer Olmsted
  11.  Plümper, Thomas, and Eric Neumayer. "The Unequal Burden of War: The Effect of Armed Conflict on the Gender Gap in Life Expectancy." International Organization 60.3 (2006): 723. ProQuest. Web. 2 Dec. 2016.
  12. Potential impact of conflict on health in Iraq WHO March 2003. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrit.on. 1998;  27 (2): 23-25
  13. Bertania A, Mathieub, J, Dahanc L, Launayd F, Rongiérase F, Rigalf S. War-related extremityinjuries in children: 89 cases managed in a combat support hospital in Afghanistan Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research 2015; 101: 365-68.
  14. Humanitarian Action for Children 2016 (Overview) https: //www. unicef.org /hac2016/. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  15.  Scipioni, Jade. "Why there will soon be tons of toilet paper, and what food may be scarce, according to supply chain experts". CNBC (18 March 2020). Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  16. "The Coronavirus Outbreak Could Disrupt the U.S. Drug Supply". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 19 March2020.
  17. COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response"UNESCO. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.