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Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology August 2025 statement on children in war zones

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2026

Colin J. McMahon ,
Ina Michel-Behnke  and
Jan Janoušek Open the ORCID record for Jan Janoušek [Opens in a new window]
Colin J. McMahon
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
Ina Michel-Behnke
Affiliation:
Helios Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Wiesbaden, Germany
Jan Janoušek*
Affiliation:
Children’s Heart Centre, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol and Homolka University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
*
Corresponding author: Jan Janoušek; Email: jan.janousek@lfmotol.cuni.cz
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Abstract

As the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, the largest paediatric cardiology organisation globally, we are dedicated to safeguard the health, safety, and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults with congenital and acquired heart disease, as well as to support the professionals who care for them across the globe. As both a scientific and ethical community, we are profoundly troubled by the devastating humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts. Across the world, we are witnessing an immense toll on civilians, particularly children, who are always the most vulnerable in times of war. The destruction of healthcare infrastructure, obstruction of access to medical care, and the severe psychological and physical trauma endured by children are deeply alarming. While the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology does not engage in political debate, we cannot remain silent when children’s lives and futures are endangered. We stand firmly by our values of compassion, equity, and peace and voice our deep concern for all (children) affected by violence and conflict, irrespective of their country, ethnicity, nationality, or faith. We invite our members and partner societies to join in upholding the principle that every child, everywhere, deserves to grow up in peace, with access to healthcare, and to live free from violence.

Keywords

Professionalismadvocacyprofessional affairsAssociation for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology

Information

Type
AEPC Newsletter
Information
Cardiology in the Young , First View , pp. 1
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Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

As the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, the largest paediatric cardiology organisation globally, we are dedicated to safeguard the health, safety, and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults with congenital and acquired heart disease, as well as to support the professionals who care for them across the globe.

As both a scientific and ethical community, we are profoundly troubled by the devastating humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts. Across the world, we are witnessing an immense toll on civilians, particularly children, who are always the most vulnerable in times of war. The destruction of healthcare infrastructure, obstruction of access to medical care, and the severe psychological and physical trauma endured by children are deeply alarming.

While the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology does not engage in political debate, we cannot remain silent when children’s lives and futures are endangered. We stand firmly by our values of compassion, equity, and peace and voice our deep concern for all (children) affected by violence and conflict, irrespective of their country, ethnicity, nationality, or faith.

We urgently call for the immediate protection of civilians (paediatric and adult), unhindered humanitarian access, and for the delivery of essential medical and psychosocial support in every conflict-affected area. We appeal to governments, international organisations, and all parties involved to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, to safeguard the lives and futures of children, and to work relentlessly toward peaceful, lasting solutions.

The wellbeing of children everywhere must remain a universal and uncompromising priority.

We also recognise the pain, fear, and loss experienced by families and medical professionals on all sides of these conflicts. In this climate of division, the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology will remain a space for respectful dialogue, shared responsibility, and unwavering solidarity with colleagues working under extraordinarily difficult conditions to care for children in war zones.

We invite our members and partner societies to join in upholding the principle that every child, everywhere, deserves to grow up in peace, with access to healthcare, and to live free from violence.