War’s Hidden Toll: How Armed Conflict Devastates Public Health for Years

Armed conflict inflicts profound and lasting damage to human health that extends years beyond when fighting stops, according to leading health researchers and recent data from international medical organisations. The health consequences of war represent one of the most severe yet often overlooked public health emergencies facing the world today.

A systematic review published in the journal Heart by researchers at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine analysed data from multiple conflicts across Syria, Lebanon, Bosnia, Croatia, Palestine, Colombia and Sudan. The findings revealed a stark connection between living in conflict zones and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Most strikingly, data from studies examining the period before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq showed that deaths from heart attack or stroke jumped from 148 per 100,000 people before the conflict to 229 per 100,000 afterwards—a sobering illustration of war’s direct health impact on civilian populations.

The mechanisms behind these health harms are complex but well-documented. The psychological trauma of living under bombardment and displacement significantly raises blood pressure and stress levels, whilst also driving behavioural changes such as increased alcohol and tobacco consumption. Simultaneously, the systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure—hospitals damaged or destroyed, medicines unavailable, medical staff killed or displaced—leaves those with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer without access to lifesaving treatment and prevention services.

“Even if civilians are willing and able to seek healthcare services during armed conflict, access is often limited due to hospital closures, road blockades, lack of available medications, and more,” explains Professor Christopher Millett of Imperial’s School of Public Health. Research from Ukraine following the 2022 invasion found that half of survey respondents reported at least one barrier to accessing healthcare, with over one in five unable to receive necessary medications.

The assault on healthcare systems themselves has reached unprecedented levels. According to the World Health Organisation’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care, there were 1,348 attacks on medical facilities in 2025 alone, resulting in 1,981 deaths among patients and healthcare workers—double the 944 deaths recorded in 2024. Sudan bore the heaviest burden with 1,620 deaths, followed by Myanmar, Palestine, Syria and Ukraine. These attacks violate international humanitarian law protections and represent a fundamental breach of the duty to protect civilians during conflict.

The destruction of healthcare infrastructure triggers cascading public health crises. With vaccination programmes disrupted, disease outbreaks follow. Northern Syria experienced approximately 23,600 suspected cases of measles in 2017-2018, compared to just 3,193 cases across the entire country during the decade before the Syrian Civil War began. Similar patterns of communicable disease outbreaks have been documented in Gaza and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health workers cannot safely access affected populations and medical supplies are exhausted.

For those living with long-term health conditions, war becomes a potential death sentence. A person with controlled high blood pressure faces a five-fold increase in heart disease risk without medication, yet during conflict obtaining routine prescriptions for blood pressure medication or insulin becomes nearly impossible. Cancer patients lose access to screening and treatment. Women lose access to antenatal care and safe childbirth services, increasing maternal mortality.

The mental health burden is equally severe. Three years into the full-scale conflict in Ukraine, the Ministry of Health documented 100,000 amputations performed due to war injuries by mid-2024, with a critical shortage of trauma specialists and long-term rehabilitation services. Beyond physical injuries, survivors face profound psychological trauma requiring years of specialised mental health support that war-affected regions cannot provide.

The long-term health trajectory of conflict-affected populations extends well beyond the end of fighting itself. Cardiovascular disease rates remain elevated for years afterwards, populations carry undiagnosed chronic conditions, and healthcare systems require years to rebuild. Children grow up without routine immunisations. Adults miss opportunities for cancer screening that could have saved their lives.

Key Takeaways

• Armed conflict causes a lasting increase in heart disease and stroke deaths among civilians that persists for years after fighting ends
• Attacks on healthcare facilities have doubled in one year, with 1,981 healthcare workers and patients killed in 2025 alone
• Destruction of healthcare systems leaves millions without access to essential medications, vaccinations, and treatment for chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer

What This Means for Kent Residents

Whilst Kent is not a conflict zone, these global health crises have direct relevance to the NHS locally. Healthcare professionals working across Kent and Medway NHS Trust increasingly support refugees and asylum seekers fleeing armed conflicts, many carrying untreated cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, and severe psychological trauma. Understanding the health impacts of war helps NHS services provide appropriate and trauma-informed care to vulnerable populations arriving in our communities.

For UK health policy, the evidence reinforces the crucial importance of investment in conflict prevention, humanitarian access to healthcare during crises, and dedicated rehabilitation services for war survivors. Should you have concerns about your own cardiovascular health or mental wellbeing, contact your GP surgery or call NHS 111 for non-urgent health advice.