The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified over 1000 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since the invasion by the Russian Federation in February of last year. This is the highest number of attacks on a healthcare system ever reported by the WHO in any humanitarian emergency. This strain on the Ukrainian healthcare system makes it much more challenging to provide routine and emergency healthcare services. The attacks on the healthcare system have hindered access to healthcare for tens of thousands of people in Ukraine, thereby increasing the risk of illness and death.
The 1,004 WHO-verified attacks have claimed at least 101 lives over the past 15 months. The WHO defines an attack as “any act of verbal or physical violence, obstruction, or threat of violence that interferes with the availability, access, and delivery of curative and/or preventive health services during emergencies.” This man-made crisis has caused immense damage to the Ukrainian people and all those affected. The World Health Organization (WHO) will continue to work towards helping those in need during this humanitarian crisis and helping to rebuild what has been damaged as a result.
“These attacks threaten the safety and well-being of health workers and undermine care for people living close to conflict areas,” stated Dr. Jarno Habicht, the WHO Representative in Ukraine. “Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law. They deprive people of the care they need and have wide-ranging, long-term consequences.” Communities have lost their access to essential health services that are necessary to save lives, resulting in increased death, illness, and a deterioration of the Ukrainian health system in the long term.
According to the WHO, their response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine is “multifaceted”, consisting of “health emergency response as well as health system strengthening, reforms and recovery.” The health response to this crisis carries valuable lessons for the entire humanitarian-development community. The WHO published a report detailing how they have assisted Ukraine during the humanitarian crisis one year after the invasion. The WHO have delivered over 1,360 metric tons of medical supplies, estimated to be worth over $36 million USD. Supplies were delivered to over 700 facilities, benefiting an estimated 8 million individuals.
“The war has brought significant challenges to Ukraine’s health system, disrupting access to health services and medicines for Ukrainian patients,” stated Dr. Habicht. “Since the first day of the war, the WHO team in Ukraine has been supporting the country in addressing its most urgent health needs, while committing unwavering support to Ukraine’s health-care workers and health-care facilities and services.”
By Justin Goldberg