WHO help to Ukraine all through the previous 12 months of struggle has been multifaceted, encompassing well being emergency response in addition to well being system strengthening, reforms and restoration. 

The well being response to the disaster in Ukraine carries classes for the entire humanitarian–improvement neighborhood, as outlined within the new annual report of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine. The resilience of the nationwide health-care system has been excellent, due to the willpower of Ukraine’s well being workforce, and the dedication and funding of the worldwide neighborhood that has enabled supply of provides and continued assist.

Going the additional mile

In 2022, WHO managed to ship medical provides to a number of the most security-compromised and hard-to-reach elements of the nation, and opened a lot of new emergency subject places of work, hubs and warehouses to assist internally displaced folks and people in want near the frontline. WHO additionally supported the creation of cellular major health-care models in 7 oblasts to make sure care provision in conflict-affected areas. 

By the top of 2022, WHO had delivered 1360 metric tonnes of medical merchandise value US$ 36 million. Supplies have been dispatched to almost 700 well being services in 25 oblasts, together with private protecting gear, medicines, oxygen provides together with provides for trauma and emergency surgical procedures, energy turbines, ambulances, and extra. 

Furthermore, over 8 million folks benefitted from emergency well being kits that met wants for primary care, trauma and emergency surgical procedure, noncommunicable illness therapy and extra. This huge emergency response was made attainable due to a variety of donors.  

“The war has brought significant challenges to Ukraine’s health system, disrupting access to health services and medicines for Ukrainian patients,” stated Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “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.” 

Long-term implications of the struggle

Despite the struggle, Ukraine has continued its well being reform efforts that started in 2017. “The long-term impacts of the war will be very severe unless the systemic transformation of Ukraine’s health-care system continues to be supported and invested in, to build the system back and build it back better. WHO will continue to support the country’s health reforms, packaged under the Strategy for the Development of the Healthcare System until 2030,” defined Dr Habicht.

“WHO seeks to contribute to a strong and resilient health system, providing technical support and expert advice on Ukraine’s reform path. We supported Ukraine’s adoption of the new public health system law in 2022, along with laws and regulations on rehabilitation, tobacco control, taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages and more.” 

Dr Habicht added, “WHO also engaged professional communities, information technology specialists and civil society in the first-ever ‘Health Hackathon’, focusing on finding new solutions related to health promotion, disease prevention and the mental health of the war-affected population.”

WHO’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) has been applied in Ukraine since 2018, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, native and worldwide nongovernmental organizations, and different companions. Community-based companies, stress administration programs, health-care employee trainings and research visits alongside a number of advocacy occasions – some attended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and addressed by WHO’s Director-General and Regional Director for Europe – have been carried out all year long to attract consideration to the subject of psychological well being and the vital wants of these affected by struggle. 

The annual report of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine covers its operations and actions in 2022. Since the Russian Federation’s invasion in 2022, all 3 tiers of the WHO construction – the Country Office, the Regional Office and the worldwide headquarters – have been working along with companions to handle the disaster.