On February 24th, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, launched an invasion of Ukraine, starting a war between the two countries. To date, there have been over 70 attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Ukraine with this figure increasing every day.

Attacks on hospitals in Ukraine

As of the end of March, there were over 70 separate attacks on medical units and hospitals in Ukraine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this number is increasing on a ‘daily basis’. This targeting of healthcare facilities is likely to be a kind of strategy and tactic of modern warfare.

At the beginning of March of this year, there was an attack on a newly renovated hospital in Izyum by what were described to be Russian shells. The footage shows a significant amount of damage done to the main hospital building, with the reception being completely demolished. A further attack managed to destroy the hospital’s operating rooms as well. According to Ukrainian authorities, hospital staff members, patients of all ages, soldiers and civilians were injured through these attacks. Luckily, no one was killed.

While the BBC has tried to contact the Russian embassy in London looking for information on the attack, the embassy has given them no response so far.

The WHO’s work to support Ukraine’s health system

Ever since Russia’s military offensive started, the WHO has been working extensively to make sure that a ‘constant flow of health supplies’ is being delivered, in order for neighbouring countries to have the capacity to meet all the refugees’ needs and to support Ukraine’s health system accordingly. The organisation founded the ‘Attacks on Health Care’ initiative to gather evidence on attacks and to advocate for these attacks to end.

Since February, there have been at least 72 attacks on medical units, causing over 70 deaths and 37 injuries. The estimated number of people affected by the war in Ukraine is around 18 million and almost 3 million people have tried to find refuge in another country. The WHO is now working on ‘the provision of humanitarian health assistance’ in Ukraine, offering technical support and surge staff. This help is done through the Country Office, the Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, and its headquarters in Geneva.

The WHO is also supplying life-saving equipment like oxygen, insulin and transfusion kits to collect. On the 5th of March, around 600 doses of ‘anti-tetanus toxoid’ were delivered to Kyiv and 36 tonnes of ‘vital medical supplies’ reached Lviv, from where they will be given to medical units across Ukraine. These shipments were done continuously throughout March, reaching several cities in Ukraine from which wider distributions can be made. In addition, the WHO is constantly in contact with Ukrainian authorities in order to ensure that their medical supplies are being delivered to the correct places. To support these operations, a WHO hub has been established in the neighbouring country Poland.

Ukrainian refugees are granted free access to NHS healthcare

As a response to the current crisis in Ukraine, the UK has become one of the largest humanitarian donors to Ukraine, providing the country with over 1.8 million medical supplies, such as ‘wound care packs, equipment for intensive care and vital medicines’. As of mid-March, all Ukrainians entering England will gain access to the NHS healthcare system, free of charge. This includes ‘GP and nurse consultations, hospital services, and urgent care centers’. The UK is ready to offer refugees full access to public services on a similar basis to UK residents. They will also be offered medical screenings as well as COVID-19 vaccines.

The Ukrainians benefitting from these services are those using ‘an alternative temporary visa route outside of the family or sponsorship routes’, those who are on a ‘family or sponsored route’ to England, Ukrainians who are in the process of changing their visas, and those who decide to extend their visa temporarily without using the ‘immigration health surcharge system’.

Sajid Javid stated that it is ‘our moral duty to ensure any Ukrainian arriving in England, after being forced out of their home country by the Russian invasion, is able to access the healthcare they might need’, without having to think about the cost of such care. As of last month, 21 Ukrainian children who had cancer were brought to England and have been given treatment at several different NHS hospitals and over 6,000 visas have been granted to Ukrainians in need. Lastly, the UK government has also given £400 million to aid Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.

Health facilities are supposed to be a safe place for both healthcare professionals and patients and, under Article 18 of the Conventions, civilian hospitals should under no circumstance ‘be the object of attack’. However, it is evident that the Russian government is not following the laws put in place to protect the health of people affected by the war.

The WHO defines these attacks on medical units as ‘the destruction of hope’ and the denial of basic human rights, depriving people of life-saving services. The UK must aid Ukrainian refugees, meeting their needs and offering them shelter as well as free healthcare where possible.

About the author: Giulia Castagnaro is a contributing Features writer with a Master’s degree in ‘Gender, Society and Representation’ and an interest in social and cultural politics, and healthcare.