Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Military’s Engagement in Civilian Healthcare

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Effective Civil-Military Interaction in Peace Operations

  • 524 Accesses

Abstract

Military engagement in post-conflict reconstruction of health care is the subject of an intense debate. This chapter investigates the role played by the international military in reconstructing Afghanistan’s health sector and attempts to identify the concerns military engagement in health reconstruction evokes. By relating empirical evidence to the ongoing debate in military and development communities the chapter aims to provide answers to the question if and how the military should be involved in health reconstruction during stabilisation and reconstruction operations (S&R operations).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Empirical data were collected in several different ways. Two field visits were made to Afghanistan , one to Kandahar and Kabul in January 2009 and one to Uruzgan province in May and June 2010. During these field visits relevant documents were collected and key personnel were interviewed, amongst them the military medical staff, hospital staff, civil-military cooperation personnel, civilian advisors such as development advisors, NGO representatives and military planning staff.

    In addition to these field visits all PRT weekly reports over the years 2007 and 2008 have been studied. These reports contain detailed information on the PRTs’ healthcare activities. Also, the analysis draws upon the experience of the former director of the Afghan National Coordinating Bureau – an umbrella organisation coordinating efforts of Afghan NGOs .

References

  • Abiew, F. K. (2003). NGO-military relations in peace operations. International Peacekeeping., 10(1), 24–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adinall, R. (2006). Transformations of war and public perception: Implications for 21st century warfare. Canadian Army Journal, 9(1), 50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU). (2006). Afghanistan’s health system since 2001: Condition improved, prognosis cautiously optimistic. Kabul: AREU.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR). (2003). ACBAR policy brief: NGO position paper concerning the provincial reconstruction teams. Kabul: ACBAR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babic-Banaszak, A., Kovacic, L., Kovacevic, L., Vuletic, G., Mujkic, A., & Ebling, Z. (2002). Impact of war on health related quality of life in Croatia: Population study. Croatian Medical Journal., 43(4), 396–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, M. T. I. B. (2002). Working apart together: Civil-military cooperation during humanitarian operations. Alblasserdam: Haveka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, M. T. I. B., Olsthoorn, P., Rietjens, S. J. H., & Khalil, M. (2012). Military engagement in civilian healthcare in Uruzgan; an ethical perspective. In R. Beeres, J. van der Meulen, J. M. M. L. Soeters, & A. Vogelaar (Eds.), Mission Uruzgan (pp. 251–264). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, M., & Cummings, E. (2009). A tale of two MEDCAPs part I. Blog posted on On Violence. http://onviolence.com/?e=90/. Accessed 17 July 2014.

  • Egnell, R. (2010). Winning legitimacy? A critical analysis of hearts and minds activities in Afghanistan. Paper presented at International Studies Association, New Orleans, February 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eldon, J., Waddington, C., & Hadi, Y. (2008). Health system reconstruction: Can it contribute to state-building? London: Health & Fragile States Network.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ford, N. (2001). Afghanistan: Humanitarian aid and military intervention don’t mix. British Journal General Practice, 51, 946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frerks, G., Klem, B., van Laar, S., & van Klingeren, M. (2006). Principles and pragmatism: Civil-military action in Afghanistan and Liberia. The Hague: Cordaid.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, S. (2010). The United Kingdom’s stabilization model and Afghanistan: The impact on humanitarian actors. Disasters, 34(S3), S368–S387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grosso, S. M. (2001). US army surgical experience during the NATO peacekeeping mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995–1999: Lessons learned. Military Medicine, 166(7), 587–592.

    Google Scholar 

  • High Level Forum on Health MDGs. (2004). Achieving the health millennium development goals in fragile states. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • ISAF. (2011). Standard operating procedure HQ-01154 (Revision 1): ISAF guidance on military medical engagement in health sector reconstruction and development. Kabul: ISAF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby, T., & James, E. (2010). Emerging patterns in the reconstruction of conflict-affected countries. Disasters, 34(S1), S1–S14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. G., Hilborne, L. H., Anthony, C. R., Davis, L. M., Girosi, F., Benard, C., Swanger, R. M., Garten, A. D., & Timilsina, A. (2006). Securing health: Lessons from nation-building missions. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kant, E. (2009). Military engagement in Afghanistan’s health reconstruction. Breda: Netherlands Defense Academy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenward, G., Jain, T. N., & Nicholson, K. (2004). Mission creep: An analysis of accident and emergency room activity in a military facility in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Journal Royal Army Medical Corps, 150(1), 20–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Last, D. (2000). Organizing for effective peacebuilding. International Peacekeeping, 7(1), 80–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurence, T. (1999). Humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping: An uneasy alliance. London: The Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagl, J. A. (2005). Learning to eat soup with a knife: Counterinsurgency lessons from Malaya and Vietnam. Westport: Preager.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhaus, S. J. (2004). Post Vietnam – Three decades of Australian military surgery. Australian Defence Force Health, 5, 16–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhaus, S. J. (2008). Medical aspects of civil-military operations: The challenges of military health support to civilian populations on operations. In C. Ankersen (Ed.), Civil-military cooperation in post-conflict operations. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • PRT Weekly, August 12, 2008. Kabul: ISAF.

    Google Scholar 

  • PRT Weekly, December 16, 2008. Kabul: ISAF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rietjens, S. J. H. (2008). Civil-military cooperation in response to a complex emergency: Just another drill? The Hague: Brill Publishers.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rietjens, S. J. H., & Bollen, M. T. I. B. (Eds.). (2008). Managing civil-military cooperation: A 24/7 joint effort for stability. Aldershot: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rietjens, S. J. H., Bollen, M. T. I. B., Khalil, M., & Wahidi, S. F. (2009). Enhancing the local footprint: Participation of Afghan stakeholders in ISAF’s reconstruction activities. Parameters, 39(1), 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts B., Ocaka, K., Browne, J., Oyok, T., & Sondorp, E. (2009). Factors associated with the health status of internally displaced persons in Northern Uganda. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63(3), 227–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rollins, J. (2001). Operational models for civil-military cooperation: Possibilities and limitations. Mons: SHAPE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, L. S. (2009). Post-conflict health reconstruction: New foundations for U.S. policy. United States Institute of Peace. Accessible at http://www.usip.org

  • Smith, R. (2005). The utility of force: The art of war in the modern world. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tatham, P. & Rietjens, S. J. H. (forthcoming). Integrated disaster relief logistics: a stepping stone towards viable civil-military networks? Disasters. Accepted for publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Transnational Institute. (2001). Reflections on humanitarian action. London: Pluto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • UK Ministry of Defence. (2004). Military contributions to peace support operations, JWP 3–50 (pp. 4–24). London: UK MoD.

    Google Scholar 

  • van den Berg, R., & Dabelstein, N. (2003). Iraq and rehabilitation: Lessons from previous evaluations. London: OECD/DAC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldman, R. (2006). Health programming in post-conflict fragile states. Arlington: BASICS and USAID.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldman, R. (2007). Health programming for rebuilding states: A briefing paper. Arlington: BASICS and USAID.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, H., Garrett, B., & Burnham, G. (2007). Rehabilitating health systems in post-conflict situations. Washington, DC: UNU-WIDER.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilder, A. (2008). Winning hearts and minds? Examining the relationship between aid and security in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. Boston: Feinstein International Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winslow, D. (2002). Strange bedfellows: NGOs and the military in humanitarian crises. In M. T. I. Bollen, R. V. Janssens, H. F. M. Kirkels, & J. L. M. Soeters (Eds.), NL arms: Civil-military cooperation: A marriage of reason (pp. 49–64). Breda: Royal Netherlands Military Academy.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO). (2007). Everybody’s business: Strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO’s framework for action. Geneva: WHO.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Netherlands Defence Academy, Breda, The Netherlands

    Sebastiaan Rietjens & Myriame Bollen

Authors
  1. Sebastiaan Rietjens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Myriame Bollen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sebastiaan Rietjens .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Gerard Lucius

  2. Netherlands Defense Academy, Breda, The Netherlands

    Sebastiaan Rietjens

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rietjens, S., Bollen, M. (2016). Military’s Engagement in Civilian Healthcare. In: Lucius, G., Rietjens, S. (eds) Effective Civil-Military Interaction in Peace Operations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26806-4_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26806-4_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-26804-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-26806-4

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation