WHO delivers life-saving medical supplies to Kherson

WHO in Ukraine have delivered life-saving medical supplies to Kherson days after the Government of Ukraine regained control of the city.

The supplies include generators to ensure health-care facilities can continue functioning in emergency settings, surgical kits and medicines for thousands of people in the city, while more supplies will continue to arrive in the coming days.

Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine said: “WHO continues to deliver essential, life-saving medical supplies in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and other United Nations partners to areas recently regained by the Government of Ukraine. These supplies will save lives and go towards ensuring that the resilient health system can continue delivering care in these challenging circumstances and support hundreds of thousands of people”.

Less than 72 hours after Kherson was regained by the Government of Ukraine, WHO also joined an interagency United Nations convoy to deliver food, shelter and medicines for thousands of people. The deliveries marked the first time aid workers were able to bring in humanitarian and health supplies to the city following the developments. More supplies will be delivered by WHO to Kherson in the coming days.

The supplies were made possible with funding from European Union Humanitarian Aid, the Government of Canada, the United States Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Direct Relief, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

WHO has delivered more than 2000 metric tonnes of medical supplies to Ukraine since the Russian Federation invasion of the country on 24 February. Deliveries include power generators, ambulances, oxygen supplies for medical facilities, supplies for trauma and emergency surgeries, and medicines to help treat noncommunicable diseases and more.

Since 24 February, WHO has delivered supplies to newly accessible areas in Ukraine. In the past months, WHO has ensured deliveries in Kharkivska oblast including in Balakliya, Izium and Kharkiv, and many other areas throughout Ukraine, while more supplies continue to come in.
MB Bureau