Armed conflicts continue to be a serious threat both to public health and to the environment. Between 1990 and 2001, there were 57 majors armed conflicts in 45 different placesi; the majority were internal conflicts and frequently involved regular armies, but there were also international conflicts such as the Iraq-Kuwait War, the First Gulf War, as well as conflicts between India and Pakistan and between Ethiopia and Eritrea, not to mention NATO intervention in the ex-Yugoslavia.
In this given context, and in consideration of the fact that the prevention of armed conflict is a (neglected) part of the obligations of the medical profession, in 2004 a working group on war was established by the Italian Association of Epidemiology (AIE); as of today the main areas of activity have been:
- the documentation of the impact on health and the environment of armed conflict (a weekly screening for articles published in peer reviewed medical journals is performed).
- the dissemination of scientific articles on the impact of armed conflict,
- a communication project aimed at raising awareness among
students in secondary schools on the effects of conflicts on the health conditions of the population
- periodic group meetings with presentations and discussions on specific issues
- a critical examination of surveys and interventions realized by the Italian authorities on issues like depleted uranium and the health of Italian soldiers.
- the support of political initiatives to promote peace and prevent war
