Ukraine: Partners emergency response to attacks – Update #11 as of 14 June 2024 as reported to the Health Cluster – Ukraine

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• In 2024, Ukraine has faced an intensification of air strikes, artillery shelling, and ground fighting resulting in widespread devastation, civilian casualties and massive displacement primarily affecting front-line communities. These intensified assaults on civilian infrastructure, including power plants, hospitals and health facilities impact access to water, electricity, and health services for millions.
• Repeated attacks on energy infrastructure have severely disrupted Ukraine’s energy generating capacity, prompting authorities to implement nationwide rolling blackouts. These extensive power outages have sparked concerns about the capacity of the energy system when winter months arrive. Although attacks have been reported across the country, the regions most severely affected include Dnipropetrovska, Zaporizka, Kharkivska, Odeska, Donetska, Khersonska, Sumska, and Chernihivska.
• As of 14th June 2024, Health Cluster partners complemented the efforts of first responders, to reach an estimated 4,351 persons with rapid humanitarian health assistance.
• Partners including UN agencies, the Global Red Cross Movement, local and international NGOs, have worked in close collaboration with the Ukraine Ministry of Health and local authorities to support the immediate delivery of emergency medical services and integrated primary health care including mental health support to people affected by the attacks.
• Through WHO as cluster lead agency and the WHO SSA platform, the Health Cluster team verified 160 attacks on health care in Ukraine from 29 December 2023 to 14 June 2024. These attacks resulted in 17 deaths and 73 injuries of health care workers and patients. In the recent two weeks alone, between 1 and 14 June, there have been 7 attacks on healthcare, impacting six health facilities and one targeting health transportation.
• Since the escalation of the country-wide conflict in February 2022, the Health Cluster team through the WHO SSA has verified 1,835 attacks on health care, with 143 deaths, and 346 injuries. Attacks on health care negatively impact the delivery of health services to the entire population, disrupting humanitarian health assistance, and undermining the capacity of health workers to provide health care.
• In the first half of 2024 (Jan-May), Health Cluster partners have provided 1,191,843 people in frontline areas with critical lifesaving health care.
• While humanitarian access has reduced in Kharkivska, Donetska, and Khersonska, health partners continue to coordinate with local authorities to balance the humanitarian imperative of saving lives with the safety and security of aid workers.