Over 6.64 million people internally displaced in Ukraine
Geneva: The conflict in Ukraine has disrupted supply lines, limiting the movement of medicines and consumables between and across institutions, cities and regions. Cargo movement by air has stopped, many roads are blocked, trains and train stations are damaged, and as movement on roads continues to be risky, the supplies of goods have been delayed.
Through engagement with the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Ukraine, national health authorities, partners and donors, though WHO is able to provide affected populations with life-saving supplies, equipment and medicines, it said reaching some of the hardest-hit areas, where health systems have been severely disrupted, remains a challenge.
Over 6.64 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine as of July 23, 2022, according to the latest survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This represents 15% of Ukraine’s general population and is an increase from the 6.3 million recorded at the end of June.
Five and a half million people who were previously displaced have returned home. Most of them were displaced within Ukraine and 16% have returned from abroad, the report stated.
According to government data compiled by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 10.6 million border crossings from Ukraine took place between February 24 and August 10, 2022. Just under half entered Poland (49%), while significant proportions entered the Russian Federation (18.5%), Hungary (10.7%), Romania (9%), Slovakia (6%) and the Republic of Moldova (5.3%).
Access to health care continues to be severely impacted due to security concerns, restricted mobility, broken supply chains and mass displacement. Between February 24 and August 10, 2022, 445 attacks on health care were reported, resulting in 105 injuries and 86 deaths, with one new attack reported in the past two weeks.
“These attacks deprive people of urgently needed care, endanger health-care providers, and undermine health systems, the report stated.
The World Health Organization stated that as of August 9, 2022, it received US$ 93.8 million (64%) against its total funding requirement of US$ 147.5 million under its appeal for the Ukraine crisis from 17 donors.
The donors supporting WHO response in Ukraine, included: Canada, European Commission – Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Germany, Ireland, Japan/Asia–Europe Foundation (ASEF), the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSRelief), Kuwait, Norway, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Switzerland, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), the United States Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), WHO Foundation, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for their timely contributions.
– global bihari bureau
