WHO delivers 58 tons of supplies to eastern Ukraine
As the conflict in eastern Ukraine continues, more people living across the contact line and in nongovernment controlled areas in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts have less access to and fewer resources for adequate health care.
On 15 July 2016, WHO delivered to Luhansk 58 tons (8 truckloads) of life-saving medicines and medical supplies, the biggest cargo of international humanitarian medical assistance to eastern Ukraine since the beginning of the crisis. The de-facto authorities of Luhansk oblast gave WHO permission to deliver the supplies. The donation was made possible thanks to the generous support of the United Kingdom and the European Commission.
This donation will allow about 350 000 people in the Luhansk area to continue to receive treatment for a wide range of health conditions including a six-month supply of insulin for 50 000 diabetic patients. The medical supplies and medicines can be used in at least 1800 complex life-saving surgical operations and to perform neonatal resuscitation in case of birth complications. The delivery also included laboratory materials and reagents.
“This significant delivery is a breakthrough in the humanitarian landscape in Ukraine: never before has the international community been able to deliver such a large amount of medical aid to the east of the line of conflict. WHO is proud to contribute to saving the lives of thousands of children, parents and grandparents living in this difficult conflict environment,” said WHO Representative a.i. to Ukraine, Dr Luigi Migliorini.
Since the beginning of the conflict, WHO has been working actively to protect the right to health for all people in Ukraine, particularly for internally displaced persons, their host communities and people living on both sides of the contact line and in the nongovernmental controlled areas of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. Funding constrains have recently reduced activities; however, WHO’s humanitarian health coordination continues.