UN agencies call for halting attacks on health care in Ukraine

GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) and two other United Nations (UN) agencies called for an immediate halt to all attacks on health care in Ukraine.

“Today, we call for an immediate cessation of all attacks on health care in Ukraine,” said the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

“In Ukraine, since the start of the war, 31 attacks on health care have been documented via the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care,” the UN agencies said, adding: “These attacks have led to at least 12 deaths and 34 injuries and affected access to and availability of essential health services.”

They said that in 24 incidents, health care facilities were damaged or destroyed, while in five cases, ambulances were damaged or destroyed.

They said that to attack the most vulnerable –babies, children, pregnant women, and those already suffering from illness and disease, and health workers risking their own lives to save lives– “is an act of unconscionable cruelty.”

WHO said it is verifying further reports of attacks despite the calls for health care protection.

“Attacks on health care and health workers directly impact people’s ability to access essential health services –especially women, children, and other vulnerable groups,” the statement said.

The UN agencies said over 4,300 births have occurred in Ukraine since the start of the war, and 80,000 Ukrainian women are expected to give birth in the next three months.

Oxygen and medical supplies, including the management of pregnancy complications, are running dangerously low, the UN agencies warned.

“The 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,” they said.

“It is critical that humanitarian actors have safe and unimpeded access to reach ALL civilians in need wherever they may be,” the UN agencies added.