Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
• The 24th of February 2024 marked the somber milestone of two years passing since the escalation of the war in Ukraine. Throughout this period, Health Cluster partners reached an estimated 17 million people cumulatively both in 2022 and 2023 with critical health assistance. Despite these efforts, an estimated 7.8 million people remain in need of humanitarian health assistance in 2024. To provide an overview of the collective efforts and progress made since February 2022, the Health Cluster released an interactive Two-Year timeline highlighting partner achievements and cluster milestones.
• As winter continues, a new wave of attacks across Ukraine on 15 February, compounded by hostilities along the frontline, caused further civilian deaths and injuries and disrupted critical services for hundreds of thousands of people. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) verified that at least 502 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in February 2024 alone. Between January and February 2024, 70 health partners reported reaching 653,814 people through the collective health interventions.
• Access to health care has also been further disrupted by attacks impacting personnel, patients, health facilities and supplies, particularly in the east and south of the country. Settlements close to the frontline in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Kherson are challenged with access following attacks. At least 24 humanitarian access incidents were reported in January and February. On 14 February, a hospital in the Donetska region, including its maternity ward, was damaged in an attack, killing three civilians, and injuring 11 patients and a health care worker. Seven Health Cluster partners mobilized to provide an integrated health and WASH assistance to patients and the affected facilities.
• Partner capacity to engage and respond in frontline areas continue to be regularly revised and mapped based on conflict dynamics that affect aid worker safety and security, and the humanitarian space. Essential primary health care services including mental health support and lifesaving medicines continue to be provided where access is possible.
• The Health Cluster continues to conduct joint Partner Monitoring visits to identify challenges, propose solutions and ensure the continued relevance of partner health interventions using the Health Cluster-developed partner Project Monitoring Tool. In February 2024 alone, the Health Cluster team assessed six partner projects, in the Kharkivska, Dnipropetrovska, Mykolaivska, and Odeska regions.