Summary of crisis & key findings
Location: Donetska and Luhanska oblasts, Eastern Ukraine Start date of crisis: February/March 2014 Typology of crisis: conflict, displacement, insecurity Since the start of the conflict, >13 000 people have been killed and 1.46 million people have been internally displaced. An estimated 3.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, of which 1.52 million are in need of humanitarian health care. Elderly people constitute 38% of those affected by the conflict. Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death in the region, and the prevalence of HIV and TB are among the highest in the country. The conflict-affected population is in need of mental health and psychosocial support services. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified needs and highlighted health system deficits. The health system suffers from insecurity due to the conflict, lack of maintenance of aging health facilities and medical equipment, shortages of medicines and medical supplies, understaffing, and disruptions to management due to government health care reform and decentralization.
Of the population in need from the health sector, an estimated 748 000 are in Government-Controlled Areas (GCA) and 772 000 are in areas controlled by armed non-state actors, collectively known as Non-Government-Controlled Areas (NGCA). The political separation of GCA and NGCA, divided by the 427km-long ‘Line of Contact’ (LoC), has caused significant constraints to the movement of people and goods.
Active hostilities, political insecurity, landmines, and COVID19 restrictions also impede humanitarian access.
Along the LoC, there are seven Entry Exit Checkpoints (EECPs) allowing humanitarian and civilian movement.
Currently, only the Stanytsia Luhanska EECP is open.