WHO: More than 700 attacks on health infrastructure since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has so far recorded 703 attacks on health infrastructure in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.

“This is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the law of war“, said today from Kyiv the WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, referring to the biggest attack on the health system of a European country since the time of the Second World War.

At the same time, Mr. Kluge underlined that hundreds of thousands of homes, schools and hospitals are without heating. “Continued attacks on health and energy infrastructure have resulted in hundreds of hospitals and other health facilities no longer being able to function smoothly, since they have run out of fuel, water and electricity to cover their basic needs“, he stated.

“This winter will be life-threatening for millions of people in Ukraine,” continued Hans Kluge, explaining that almost 10 million people – 1/4 of the population – have been left without electricity in the face of the polar cold predicted by meteorologists for the near future (the mercury is expected to reach -20 degrees Celsius in some areas).

There is great threat of outbreak of respiratory infections, such as Covid-19, against which a large portion of the Ukrainian population has not been adequately protected, the WHO official continued.

All this, Kluge reported and relayed by the Athens News Agency, also has an impact on mental health, pointing out that about 10 million Ukrainians are at risk of mental disorders, such as acute stress and depression.