Medical Aid Reaches Ukraine, WHO Says 18 Million People Affected By Russian Invasion

Ukrainian rescue workers help women injured in Russian attacks. (Wikimedia Commons/dsns.gov.ua/State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - A steady stream of medical equipment and supplies, including trauma kits, reached Ukraine to shore up a health care system grappling with supply shortages amid the Russian invasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.

The supply chain has been severely disrupted, with many distributors dropping out, some supplies out of reach due to military operations, medicine supplies running low, and hospitals struggling to treat the sick and injured, he said.

"The current estimate of the number of people affected in Ukraine is 18 million, of which 6.7 million are internally displaced", the agency said in a statement.

"Nearly 3 million people have left the country", the WHO said.

WHO is working with partners to reduce shortages of essential equipment and medicines such as oxygen and insulin, surgical supplies, anesthetics, and transfusion kits, the statement continued.

The items shipped included oxygen generators, electric generators, defibrillators, monitors, anesthetic drugs, rehydration salts, gauze, and bandages.

The WHO said supplies were being distributed in coordination with Ukraine's Ministry of Health, supported by support centers in neighboring Poland.

"The coming days and weeks will see a constant flow of medical supplies, as part of efforts to ensure public access to essential medicines and medical care", the statement said.

At the same time, the WHO again condemned attacks on health care providers, saying it had verified 31 such attacks since Moscow invaded from February 24 to March 11.

It caused 12 deaths and 34 injuries, with health workers accounting for eight of the injured and two of those killed. More attacks are being verified.

It is known, Starting after receiving President Vladimir Putin's green light on February 24, Russia called its military activities in Ukraine a special military operation, aimed at civilian disarmament and denazification, did not want to occupy territory, and did not target civilians.