The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that Russia has conducted 1940 attacks on Ukraine’s medical system since the start of the full-scale invasion.
According to the WHO, this represents the highest rate the WHO has ever recorded in any humanitarian emergency globally.
About 86% of these attacks have targeted medical facilities, with a significant portion involving heavy weaponry.
“Since December 2023, WHO-confirmed attacks on medical facilities have intensified significantly – they occur almost daily,” the organization states.
The conflict’s impact on emergency medical services has been severe. On average, 200 ambulances are damaged or destroyed annually due to shelling. Yarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, notes a concerning trend: “In 2024, we are observing many double attacks. We are now experiencing more shelling of civilian infrastructure than before.”
The toll on healthcare workers has been particularly heavy.
“We are losing colleagues – medical workers, nurses, doctors, paramedics,” Habicht reports. “This year, many more medical workers have been injured than before. According to WHO data, first aid and medical transport workers are three times more likely to suffer from attacks than other medical workers.”
The WHO’s data reveals a sharp increase in casualties. In 2023, 24 deaths among medical staff and patients were documented. However, in the first 7.5 months of 2024, 34 people have died from attacks on medical facilities. The number of injuries this year has already surpassed 2023 and 2022 figures, currently at 229 people.
The attacks affected various levels of healthcare provision. WHO data shows that 42% of all attacks since 2022 have impacted primary healthcare. In 2024, secondary healthcare facilities have seen the highest number of injuries and deaths, with one in five attacks resulting in injuries. For emergency medical services, every second attack leads to injuries.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health reports that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian attacks have destroyed buildings at 99 Ukrainian medical facilities, affecting over 200 objects.
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