THE World Health Organisation “Has never seen so many attacks on the health system” than are currently reported in Ukraineafter the invasion of Russian forces on February 24.
“The health system has become a target (…) These attacks are beginning to be part of the war strategy and tactics. “It’s absolutely unacceptable, it’s against international humanitarian law,” said Michael Ryan, head of the emergency services, at a news conference.
“We are only in the beginning (…) and we have not seen so many attacks on the health system anywhere in the world,” he added.
Since February 24, the WHO has counted 43 attacks on the health system, either against medical facilities or against workers in the sector.
“Ukraine’s health system has reached a critical juncture, it is on the brink,” Ryan warned, wondering: “The’s Ukrainian health system needs support, but how do we develop teams on the ground when infrastructure is targeted?”
THE WHERE he declined to say where the attacks came from.
“The WHO’s priority remains to support the healthcare staff and the health system to continue to provide care to meet immediate needs,” the agency’s director general, Tantros Antanom Gebregesous, told reporters.
Lack of resources
THE WHERE managed to send aid to many Ukrainian cities, but still has difficulty reaching some of them. About 100 tons of medical supplies (oxygen, insulin, surgical instruments, anesthetic, etc.) have been sent so far. It has also sent electric generators and defibrillators while another 108 tons are being prepared with various materials.
“We are coordinating the development of 20 medical teams, consisting of specialists from various countries, pending a formal request from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. “And we opened an office in Poland to support our operations in Ukraine and meet the needs of refugees,” Tetros explained.
THE WHERE however, it is facing financial difficulties that limit its capabilities. It has received only $ 8 million, although it requested $ 57.5 million to meet Ukraine’s needs.
“Huge sums of money are spent on the purchase of weapons. “We ask donors to invest in the people of Ukraine and in the refugees who need care.”
The Director-General of the WHO also recalled that although the Ukraine is now in the spotlight, it is not the only crisis the Organization has to deal with, referring to Afghanistan, Yemen and Ethiopia’s Tigris, where it originates. In Tigray, “the situation is catastrophic,” he said, referring to a “forgotten crisis.”
“Yes, I come from Tigray and this crisis is affecting me personally, as well as my family and friends. “But as the director general of the WHO, I have a duty to protect and promote health wherever it is threatened and there is no other area of the world where the health of millions of people is most threatened,” he concluded.
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