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

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.