International Health Partners responds to the Ukraine crisis

International Health Partners responds to the Ukraine crisis

International Health Partners (IHP) is responding to the escalating conflict in Ukraine with an

initial shipment of 59 Essential Health Packs to its in-country partner Project HOPE. Essential

Health Packs are pre-packed, portable kits filled with a range of essential medicines such as

antibiotics and analgesics and enable the swift delivery of critical, reliable medicines in places

where people wouldn’t otherwise be able to obtain them.

There was already a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine before Russia’s military incursion which

began in the early hours of 24 February. Since then, the situation has deteriorated rapidly with

intensifying hostilities across the country, civilian casualties, mass displacement and major

impacts on civilian infrastructure.

“Primary healthcare almost doesn’t exist in the country right now, and every day I receive

medical needs lists from hospitals around the country which are rapidly running out of supplies,”

said Chris Skopec, Executive Vice President, Global Health at Project HOPE.

IHP’s response aims to meet some of this need, and the organisation anticipates this being the

first of several shipments to support the people of Ukraine. However, the situation is extremely

complex. Finding viable and safe transport routes into the country has posed the biggest

challenge for the IHP logistics team, who continue to work closely with carriers and partners to

navigate the developing situation and ensure the safe delivery of these medicines.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Health now estimates that 18 million people have been affected by the

conflict, 12 million of whom are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. The number of

people displaced by the fighting continues to rise, as well as the number of casualties.

UNOCHA have stated: “The most pressing humanitarian needs are emergency medical services,

critical medicines, health supplies and equipment, safe water for drinking and hygiene, and

shelter and protection for those displaced from their homes.”

Within Ukraine, the Ministry of Health has suspended all scheduled hospitalisations and elective

procedures, to ensure that hospitals have sufficient capacity to manage conflict-related injuries.

This is likely to have a devastating impact on the health outcomes of patients over the long-term

and the conflict is compounding the risk to already vulnerable populations being forced to flee.

More than two million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, have now fled to other European

countries, with the majority going to Poland, and others fleeing to Romania, Moldova, Slovakia

and Hungary. These neighbouring countries are attempting to accommodate as many refugees

as possible, despite concerns about healthcare capacity.

“It’s devastating to see the unfolding situation in Ukraine and the knock-on effects this is already

having already on people’s health and wellbeing,” says Louise Hart, Programmes Director at IHP.

“Echoing the World Health Organization’s statement, it is absolutely critical that the health

system continues to be able to function and that essential medicines are able to reach hospitals and health

workers safely,” she adds.

To donate to our Disaster Fund please click here. Any excess funds received for this

response will be used to facilitate responses to other emergencies – including those that

do not hit the headlines.

For further information please contact Hazel Brearley at h.brearley@ihpuk.org or call (020)

3735 5489

www.ihpuk.org