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Ukraine: health care attacks continue as battleground moves east
As the focus of the war in Ukraine shifts to the east of the country, nearly seven weeks since the Russian invasion, health care facilities have continued to come under attack, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
“As of yesterday, WHO has verified 108 incidents of attacks on health care in Ukraine,” said WHO spokesperson Bhanu Bhatnagar. “This could range from attacks on health facilities and personnel, transport like ambulances, supplies and warehouses. At least 72 people have been killed and 51 people injured in those attacks.”
Speaking from Lviv in western Ukraine, Mr. Bhatnagar noted that “roughly 300 health facilities are in conflict areas at this time and about 1,000 health facilities are in changed areas of control”.
Since Russian forces entered Ukraine on 24 February, WHO has delivered 216 tonnes of emergency and medical supplies and equipment to the country, via Lviv. More than half of that amount has reached the intended destination, mostly in the east and north of the country, where needs are greatest.
“Over the coming days, WHO will be providing 15 generators to hospitals across Ukraine that have limited or no power supply,” Mr. Bhatnagar continued. “The generators are destined for oblasts in the east, in the south and in the north, and we have set aside two generators for hospitals in Mariupol for delivery as soon as we can get in.”
In addition to pursuing all efforts to re-open operations in Kyiv, the WHO spokesperson explained that the UN agency also wanted to expand its strategic operational base in Dnipro, in the central-eastern part of the country, although this “still remains uncertain”, he said.
WHO also plans to deliver 20 ambulances to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health this week and it is also helping the authorities to set up field hospitals to provide basic healthcare services where health infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.
The UN agency has also evacuated those in need of immediate medical treatment to the Polish border town of Korczowa, where the Polish government has set up a health facility to treat up to 200 people.
ends
STORY: Ukraine Health Care Attacks – WHO
TRT: 1 min 21s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 12 April 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, flag alley, UN Geneva.
- Wide shot, UN Geneva Press room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Bhanu Bhatnagar (Zoom from Lviv), spokesperson, WHO: “Roughly 300 health facilities are in conflict areas at this time and about 1,000 health facilities are in changed areas of control.”
- Close-up, TV camera lens and viewfinder and large-screen TV to rear, showing podium speaker and external speaker.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Bhanu Bhatnagar (Zoom from Lviv), spokesperson, WHO: “As of yesterday, WHO has verified 108 incidents of attacks on health care in Ukraine; this could range from attacks on health facilities and personnel, transport like ambulances, supplies and warehouses. At least 72 people have been killed and 51 people injured in those attacks.”
- Medium shot, participant sitting in front of laptop.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Bhanu Bhatnagar (Zoom from Lviv), spokesperson, WHO: “Over the coming days, WHO will be providing 15 generators to hospitals across Ukraine that have limited or no power supply. The generators are destined for oblasts in the east, in the south and in the north, and we have set aside two generators for hospitals in Mariupol for delivery as soon as we can get in.”
- Medium shot, journalists/participants seated, one checking her phone, TV camera on tripod to rear and large screen TV.
- Medium shot, participant seated, looking at laptop screen.
- Wide shot, journalists/participants seated, with TV camera and lighting tripods in view, and large-screen TV showing speakers.
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