WHO\u2019s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA) <\/a>has been documenting attacks on health care in Ukraine, since the start of the war. These add up to 31 assaults. According to these reports, in 24 incidents health care facilities were damaged or destroyed, while in five cases ambulances were damaged or destroyed. These attacks have led to at least 12 deaths and 34 injuries, and affected access to and availability of essential health services. WHO is verifying further reports, as attacks continue to be reported despite the calls for protection of health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWHO is particularly concerned because attacks on health care and health workers directly impact people\u2019s ability to access essential health services \u2014especially women, children and other vulnerable groups. \u201cWe have already seen that the health care needs of pregnant women, new mothers, younger children and older people inside Ukraine are rising, while access to services is being severely limited by the violence,\u201d says the joint statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, more than 4,300 births have occurred since Russia launched war with Ukraine, and 80,000 Ukrainian women are expected to give birth in next three months. Oxygen and medical supplies, including for the management of pregnancy complications, are running dangerously low.
\u201cThe health care system in Ukraine is clearly under significant strain, and its collapse would be a catastrophe. Every effort must be made to prevent this from happening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The joint statement continues: \u201cInternational humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld, and the protection of civilians must be our top priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHumanitarian partners and health care workers must be able to safely maintain and strengthen essential health service delivery, including immunization against COVID-19 and polio, and the supply of life-saving medicines for civilians across Ukraine as well as to refugees crossing into neighbouring countries. Health services should be systematically available at border crossings, including rapid care and referral processes for children and pregnant women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is critical that humanitarian actors have safe and unimpeded access to reach ALL civilians in need wherever they may be. UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO are working with partners to scale up life-saving services and support to meet urgent health needs. We must be able to safely deliver emergency medical supplies\u2014including those required for obstetric and neonatal care\u2014to health centers, temporary facilities and underground shelters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHealth care and services should be protected from all acts of violence and obstruction. Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has already put health systems and health care workers under enormous strain, such attacks have the potential to be even more devastating for the civilian population. For the sake of health workers, and for all people in Ukraine who need access to the lifesaving services they provide, attacks on all health care and other civilian infrastructure must stop.\u201d [IDN-InDepthNews \u2013 13 March 2022]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photo: Two newborn babies being cared for at a makeshift maternity clinic in Ukraine. Credit: UNICEF\/2022\/Ratushniak<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA | NEW YORK (IDN) \u2014 Three UN agencies have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, enabling unhindered access so that people in need can avail of humanitarian assistance. \u201cA peaceful resolution to end the war in Ukraine is possible,\u201d says a joint statement issued by UNICEF Executive Director, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,6,21,16,32,3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5178","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-europe","8":"category-goal3","9":"category-health","10":"category-news","11":"category-regions","12":"category-sdgs-2"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5181,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5178\/revisions\/5181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}