Dear Members of the HMS Community:
At Harvard Medical School, we work to alleviate suffering and improve health and well-being for all. In keeping with that mission, HMS stands alongside the international community in condemning Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine. We express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who are currently enduring unspeakable hardships. I would also like to draw your attention to President Bacow’s statement, which he delivered earlier today.
The cost of conflict—as explored in the Spring 2018 issue of Harvard Medicine magazine—is incalculable. Beyond the economic, military, social, and political ramifications of war, it is well documented that public health deteriorates, too. Maternal and infant mortality rates increase. Destruction brings about widespread instability. Environmental damage, toxification, and pollution are rampant, and displaced individuals face debilitating traumas.
In 2018, a cohort of HMS researchers studying Saudi attacks on health care facilities and services in Yemen called on health care providers to take a role in censuring the war. They set an example for all of us. As physicians, educators, and trainees, we are uniquely positioned to advocate for peace. Already, the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, a University-wide academic and research center based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital Emergency Medicine Department, is working with clinical partners to aid the health response strategy at the Ukrainian border.
My thoughts turn to those members of our community—the Ukrainians and Russians among us—who are most affected by this occupation, but none of us can be unmoved by the unfolding tragedy of war. If you need support during this deeply unsettling time, many resources are available to you, including Counseling and Mental Health Services for students, Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program and Work/Life Programs for employees, and the Harvard Ombuds Office, Longwood for all staff, trainees, faculty, and students.
For anyone who would like to learn more about the crisis in Ukraine, I encourage you to attend any or all of these panel discussions over the next week, organized by colleagues across the University, including Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center and Institute of Politics.
An invasion of this type is likely to bring about an immense amount of sorrow and loss of life. If you are looking for ways to help, there are many organizations soliciting financial aid to assist the people of Ukraine and address this growing crisis. Respected and trusted groups include UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the U.N. Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.
In challenging times like these, please remember to take care of yourself, and to be sensitive to others. That in itself is a potent balm for the soul.
Sincerely,
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University