World Health Organization in Ukraine | “Healthcare workers are exhausted, but they persist”

In the first 15 months of the war in Ukraine, the World Health Organization documented 1,004 Russian attacks on the healthcare system, which resulted in the deaths of at least 101 people. Despite this, the workers of the health service remain at the post, assures Doctor Jarno Habicht, representative and head of the office of this organization in the country. The Press spoke to him.

The partial destruction on Tuesday, June 6, of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine has resulted in another pressing issue for the country’s health workers.

“Our main concern right now is the potential outbreak of water-borne diseases, including cholera and typhoid, as well as rodent-borne diseases,” Dr.^r Jarno Habicht, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Ukraine.

For him, as for the thousands of health workers, this new event has been added to the very long list of medical emergencies to be treated in the country. And this, not only since the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022, but for several years upstream.

“People’s health is important to a country’s national security. In Ukraine, we have been working on this since 2016-2017, when the central government launched reforms of its health system to better adapt it to international standards,” said Mr. Habicht in a 30-minute interview with The Press by app WhatsApp.

As everyone knows, there was also a global pandemic between the reforms and the war which, in its first 15 months, resulted in 1004 documented attacks, resulting in the death of at least 101 people, on the establishments of Ukrainian health.

Despite everything, the workers do not bend their backs, assures the D^r Habicht, who describes their behavior as “heroic”.

“Obviously the health care workers are exhausted,” he said. But they continue their mission. I have met surgeons who have not left their institutions for weeks to save lives. I have met workers who have themselves been sick while continuing to serve. All healthcare workers have seen and experienced the same things as me. So yes, they are tired, but they persist. »

Mental health: a priority

During the interview with The Pressthe D^r Habicht repeatedly returns to the theme of mental health. Because millions of Ukrainians are currently suffering from it, which, unsurprisingly, includes many healthcare workers.

“Needs are growing in terms of mental health,” says the WHO representative. Following a survey of the damage caused by the war, only in the first year, it was concluded that Ukraine will need investments totaling 16.4 billion US dollars to rebuild the health sector. It’s good to rebuild, but at the same time we have to ensure that the network’s workers remain available, well trained and well motivated. »

This is one of the files that the WHO representatives intend to defend by participating in the Conference on the recovery of Ukraine which will take place on June 21 and 22 in London. The D^r Habicht also mentions the importance of considering the multiplicity of funding sources, including private partners.

In the process, he points out that, unlike several countries in crisis elsewhere in the world, the Ukrainian health system does not depend solely and entirely on humanitarian aid.

According to him, Canada is doing its part in this area. “We receive very significant financial support from Canada and we work closely together in terms of humanitarian response,” he explains. We have excellent discussions with the people at the embassy. »

WHO has a staff of some 300 field staff. Since the start of the invasion, some 10,000 people have undergone training to meet basic needs. These are always screaming.

“In the short term, we have to take care of mental health and also people who have non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, says Dr.^r Habicht. Because people delay going for a consultation, I expect a significant increase in such cases in the coming years. »