Ukraine Conflict | The Impact of the Conflict on the Health Sector

Key Takeaways

• Attacks on health facilities continue in Ukraine with 85 confirmed attacks on health care documented via the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA), leading to 73 deaths and 43 injuries as of April 04. Health centres in the areas most heavily affected by conflict, and where needs are therefore most acute have tended to experience the worst damage. In addition, information from these areas is limited so current figures are likely to be an underrepresentation of the actual situation.
• Disruption of health services, large-scale displacement and the necessity to prioritise trauma treatment are all negatively impacting the treatment of long-term conditions such as diabetes, cancer and HIV. These factors and the limited access to health services due to conflict can all result in indirect deaths.
• Medical supplies across many parts of Ukraine are running low, especially in conflict-affected areas as access to many locations remains blocked. A critical shortage of oxygen is also a major concern and will have an impact on the ability to treat patients with COVID-19 and many other conditions.
• The risk of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, COVID-19 and measles are being exacerbated due to a lack of clean drinking water, crowded conditions in collective centres and bomb shelters as well as underlying conditions such as low vaccination rates.