WHO’s Emergency Response in Ukraine and Refugee-Receiving Countries – Annual Report 2023

Copenhagen, 7 May 2024

The below text can be attributed to Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe

Ukraine has been in a state of full-scale war for over 2 years, causing untold suffering for the Ukrainian population, severely impacting the country’s health system.

More than 2 years of sustained attacks have severely tested the health system’s capacity, forcing thousands to forgo health services or delay their treatment. At WHO, we have repeatedly

called for the protection of health care, as health must never be a target – a key principle of international humanitarian law.

However, attacks are just one side of the story. Interruptions and delays to the distribution of equipment and medication affect millions of people. An emergency of this scale has not happened on European soil since the United Nations came into existence in the wake of the Second World War.

Working closely with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and over 300 partners on the ground, WHO’s support seeks to maintain health care and ensure that those in difficult-to-access or remote areas can continue to receive the services they need. In areas where the government has regained control, WHO and partners are ensuring delivery of essential medicines, diagnostics, and equipment, establishing essential health services to ensure access to care and investing in early recovery.

In 2023 alone, WHO supported over 800 health-care facilities in Ukraine with medical supplies and

equipment and reached over 7 million people through various interventions. Over 2,200 first responders have been trained in preparing for and responding to public health events involving toxic chemicals.

WHO has distributed over US$ 15 million of medical goods and supplies to 540 primary and secondary

health-care facilities and 44 public health institutions in refugee-receiving countries. We have also provided skills training to almost 20,000 health providers as part of this effort. For those struggling with mental health, we are scaling up mental health interventions and supporting the most vulnerable, together with partners.

Our life-saving work would not have been possible without the support of our donors and partners, and their commitment to meeting the health needs of the people of Ukraine.

ENDS

The full annual report is attacheed and available here.

For interview requests please reach out to Bhanu Bhatnagar, bbhatnagar@who.int and cc eupress@who.int