WHO delivers medical supplies to treat up to 1000 trauma patients in eastern Ukraine

WHO has delivered emergency trauma kits to health facilities near the contact line in eastern Ukraine. The kits are sufficient to cover more than 200 major or around 1000 minor operations. The delivery of the kits was made possible with financial support from the Italian Government, which allocated US$ 250 000 in 2017.

“After almost 5 years of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, access to quality medical services for war-wounded and other trauma patients is limited on both sides of the contact line,” says WHO Representative to Ukraine Dr Marthe Everard.

“Supplies of this specialized medical equipment and medication allow for addressing the gaps and improving the quality of health-care services provided to vulnerable people, including pregnant women and school children, living along the contact line.”

In 2017–2018, WHO and partners have supported around 2.5 million people in eastern Ukraine with medical supplies. The supplies are not only for primary and secondary care, complex surgical operations, safe deliveries, neonatal services and safe blood transfusions, but also for the treatment of a range of infectious and noncommunicable diseases.

Due to the protracted nature of the crisis, humanitarian assistance to Ukraine is continuously needed. Yet, it is decreasing. The long-term consequences of the conflict have exacerbated the health status of the population due to damaged health facilities, disrupted health services and a lack of qualified health workers.

In response to these challenges, WHO has been working to provide essential medicines and medical equipment for selected secondary and tertiary health-care facilities, to train health-care specialists and to improve the quality of health-care services.