Humanitarian Aid and Medical Assistance in Decline

As a result of the continued heavy bombardment of cities in the Donbas region and southern cities like Odessa, the amount of humanitarian assistance in general, but specifically medical supplies, is in decline. It is not just military weaponry that is desperately needed if the people of Ukraine are going to be able to sustain any kind of resistance.

The UN estimates that there are currently 15.7 million people within Ukraine in need of life-saving assistance. Over 2 billion dollars will be needed in the short term to help 8.7 million of the most vulnerable people. Meeting this need is becoming increasingly difficult with the widespread destruction of major cities and infrastructure including roads and bridges causing major problems for medical supplies and other critical services to reach their destinations.

Last week, the UN Office in Ukraine reported that approximately 136 attacks on medical facilities have occurred since the beginning of the war. This has prompted the updated flash appeal or organized plan to assist organizations working in the most threatened regions. Convoys led by the UN have so far delivered essential supplies five times which will continue for the foreseeable future.

Sources: Reuters, UN News