620 attacks on health facilities in Ukraine have been registered since the full-scale Russian invasion started
There have been 620 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since the full-scale war began in February 2022, WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said.
“The immediate priority: responding urgently to the damage done by the latest attacks on health — with the current total of WHO-confirmed attacks on health at 620 since the war began in February. We need to scale up our support to the rebuilding process,” Kluge said. The Russian attacks included bombing at least four maternity hospitals and four children’s hospitals and have killed at least 73 healthcare workers and patients, according to the data from research group Insecurity Insight and the WHO.
Other concerns for WHO include the health needs of those in Ukraine and “anticipating and preparing for challenges winter will bring,” Hans Kluge said at a press conference on the health impacts of the escalating conflict in Ukraine.
The WHO official noted that more than 800,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed in the country since February 2022, forcing thousands of people to live either in collective centers or damaged buildings.
