PESHAWAR, July 16: An international medical humanitarian organisation has condemned the United States’ alleged misuse of a vaccination campaign to get DNS from Osama bin Laden compound in Abbottabad.

“Utilising medical campaign for counter-terrorism purposes constitutes a dangerous abuse of medical care, which threatens the trust essential for health agencies and humanitarian aid workers to provide lifesaving medical services,” said a statement issued by the local office of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

“Whether the story is true or not, the mere suggestion that the provision of medical care was carried out under false pretenses damages public perception of the true purpose of medical action,” it quoted Dr Unni Karunakara, MSF international president, as saying.

“With all populations in crisis, it is challenging enough for health agencies and humanitarian aid workers to gain access to, and the trust of, communities, especially populations already sceptical of the motives of any outside assistance.”

The release said that deceptive use of medical care also endangered those, who provided legitimate and essential health services. Furthermore, carrying out an act of no therapeutic or preventative benefit purely for military or intelligence purposes violated medical ethics, which required acting solely on the needs of patients and doing no harm, it added.

The release said that impartial humanitarian assistance required acceptance from all communities and warring parties, whether national governments, armed opposition movements, international forces, or even criminal groups. In all conflicts or highly politicized environments, the access could only be achieved and maintained over time by actions that demonstrated humanitarian providers were acting only in the interests of those receiving care, it said.

“The allegation of a fake CIA vaccination campaign constitutes a grave manipulation of the medical act. The risk is that vulnerable communities, anywhere, needing access to essential health services will understandably question the true motivation of medical workers and humanitarian aid.

The potential consequence is that even basic health care, including vaccination, does not reach those who need it most,” said Dr Karunakara.

The MSF is an independent medical humanitarian organisation that provides assistance to people affected by armed conflicts, epidemics, man-made and natural disaster, and exclusion from health care in more than 65 countries.