Ukraine Health Crisis: Battle For Life Continues amid hypothermia, infections, Medical Oxygen crisis

From a dangerous medical oxygen crisis to a sudden spike in viral infectious diseases, the citizens of Ukraine are not just fighting for their houses, but for their health as well.

Clusters of citizens in subway stations, basements, and other shelters, babies crying in the streets, pregnant ladies asking for medical help, and most importantly hospitals running out of the basic necessities, this is the current picture of Ukraine, as the country is under a war state with Russia, who is trying to acquire the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. Among everything else, one major thing that has left the country and its men suffering is a severe health crisis.

A war not only affects the living quality but also leaves a major impact on the economy and healthcare system of the country. The case of Ukraine is no different. In the backdrop of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, it is not only that the citizens were left homeless and deprived of food and water, a major crisis was seen in the healthcare system of Ukraine, which has left the whole world worried.

Stop Attacks On Health Care In Ukraine: WHO

Urging the Russian army to stop attacking the healthcare workers of Ukraine, The World Health Organisation (WHO) said, The government's data suggests that the war has led to at least 12 deaths and 34 injuries in Ukraine since February 24. WHO also added that these strikes also destroyed ambulances and other medical vans.

Addressing a press conference to talk about the clashing down of Ukraine's medical infrastructure, the United Nations body said, "Today, we call for an immediate cessation of all attacks on health care in Ukraine. These horrific attacks are killing and causing serious injuries to patients and health workers, destroying vital health infrastructure and forcing thousands to forgo accessing health services despite catastrophic needs."

Health Crisis Spills Out of Ukraine

From a dangerous medical oxygen crisis to a sudden spike in viral infectious diseases, the citizens of Ukraine are not just fighting for their houses, but for their health as well. As COVID-19 is yet to reside in some parts of the country, experts have also stated that the Ukrainians are severely deprived of basic health facilities.

Ukraine Health System Stretched To Breaking Point

Taking cognizance of the deteriorating condition of Ukraine's health system, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the country is on the verge of a breakdown. The officials of WHO also termed the attack on the healthcare workers and patients who are suffering from some kind of illness - an act of unconscionable cruelty.

"Supply chains have been severely disrupted. Many distributors are not operational, some stockpiles are inaccessible due to military operations, medical supplies are running low, and hospitals are struggling to provide care to the sick and wounded," the WHO statement declared. The statement comes after reports about the shelling down of the healthcare facilities, attacks on patients and nurses surfaced earlier this week.

Severe Health Diseases In Ukraine

Apart from targeting the health infrastructure of Ukraine, Russia's war with the country has also left Ukranian suffering from some severe illnesses.

Quoting recent reports, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that there is a mounting amount of concerns for the Ukrainian people as cases associated with hypothermia, frostbite, respiratory diseases, mental health issues, and a lack of treatment for heart diseases and cancers are on the rise from across the country.

Why There Is a Sudden Surge In Infections In Ukraine?

Amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, reports about a surge in infectious diseases have surfaced. What led to an increase in infectious diseases in the country? TheHealthSite.com reached out to doctors to understand what caused this kind of health crisis in Ukraine, especially during wartime.

"The war between Russia and Ukraine is not just a military clash, it is a fight of the people for their lives, too. To answer the questions about the rising infectious diseases in the country, I would say that many people are deprived of food, water, and shelter, three basic lifelines of human life. This is leading to major health issues such as immunodeficiency, infections, etc.," said Dr. Samir Banerjee, Belle Vue Hospital.

He further added, "COVID is also not over yet, people clustering at one place can increase the chances of a mass spread of the virus, which is also concerning."

Ukraine's Healthcare System Catastrophe

Sources have also revealed that Ukraine is facing a major issue in managing the basic requirements in the hospitals pertaining to the war with Russia. Many hospitals are running short of insulin, surgical supplies, anaesthetic, and transfusion kits to collect, test, and safely transfuse blood.

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Further, medical oxygen generator manufacturers in several areas are also facing shortages of zeolite, a crucial, mainly imported chemical product necessary to produce safe medical oxygen. Safe deliveries of zeolite from outside Ukraine to these plants are also needed.

Talking about the health crisis Ukraine may face in the upcoming days, WHO officials said, "For example, more than 4,300 births have occurred in Ukraine since the start of the war and 80,000 Ukrainian women are expected to give birth in next three months. Oxygen and medical supplies, including for the management of pregnancy complications, are running dangerously low. The health care system in Ukraine is clearly under significant strain, and its collapse would be a catastrophe. Every effort must be made to prevent this from happening."

(With inputs from Agencies)