Kyiv, Ukraine, July 8, 2024 — Dr Marko Isajlovic, IRC Health Coordinator in Ukraine, said:
“The International Rescue Committee strongly condemns today's attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv. No child should grow up under the threat of missile strikes. No child should risk dying amidst the rubble of hospitals meant to be safe havens for healing and recovery. Health facilities are protected under international law and must remain out of harm’s way in times of conflict.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the WHO has recorded nearly 1,900 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine. Our medical teams witness the daily toll of fighting on people who are unable to seek much needed care in hospitals reduced to rubble, reach the nearest pharmacy due to ongoing fighting, or simply afford much-needed medicines.”
A recent survey conducted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the frontline areas of Ukraine, including Kharkiv, reveals that 1 in 10 people in Ukraine cannot access critical healthcare.
54% of respondents reported challenges in affording medication for themselves or their family members, primarily due to financial constraints, 15% said that mental health care is a pressing issue, and 10% admitted they are feeling the impact of war-related trauma.
Based on the preliminary findings of a recently conducted wellbeing survey among the health workforce, 1 in 5 health professionals have resorted to negative coping mechanisms in response to constant stress. More than half of the surveyed health professionals reported feeling relaxed only sometimes, or rarely. This underscores the continued need for mental health support, as issues like stress, anxiety, and fear for personal safety prevail close to the frontlines and among first responders, including health professionals.