Global Nurses Urge G7 Leaders to Protect Healthcare Workers from Attacks
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has called on G7 leaders to take immediate action to protect healthcare workers from attacks on medical facilities and ensure the safety of nurses around the world. The appeal was made during a gathering held near the G7 summit in Evian, France.
During the event, nurses displayed a powerful image honoring healthcare workers who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the risks faced by those working to protect others. ICN Executive Director Howard Catton warned that without urgent action, more healthcare workers could become victims of ongoing conflicts and violence. He called for an end to violations of international humanitarian law and demanded safe working conditions and adequate protective equipment for nurses.
In a letter to G7 leaders, ICN President Dr. José Luis Cobos Serrano emphasized that protecting and empowering nurses must become a global priority. Citing reports that recorded 2,546 attacks on healthcare workers and facilities in 2025 alone, he urged world leaders to condemn such attacks, strengthen protections for medical staff, and invest in the global nursing workforce as a key element of international health security.
