WHO plans to set up up to 20 modular medical facilities in Ukraine this year

Dr. Jarno Habicht, head of the WHO office in Ukraine, said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

He recalled that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, WHO has verified over 2,200 attacks on Ukraine's healthcare system. This list includes medical facilities, medical transport, warehouses, laboratories, and other infrastructure.

He explained that one of WHO's support measures in Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion is ensuring continuous access to medical services in areas where healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed, as well as providing well-equipped spaces for healthcare workers to deliver services.

In coordination with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, WHO launched a project to install two types of modular medical facilities in regions where healthcare infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. The first type is primary healthcare units designed to provide medical services within the premises. The second type includes modular stations for emergency medical teams, which feature restrooms for healthcare staff and additional facilities for storing necessary equipment.

In 2023 and 2024, the WHO set up 29 modular primary healthcare units and emergency medical stations in seven regions of Ukraine. The WHO representative in Ukraine mentioned that the average cost of installing and equipping a facility ranges from $100,000 to $200,000, depending on the size of the structure.

Both types of modular facilities are being set up with financial support from the Eurean Union, Germany, and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. Habicht clarified that about 20 more modular facilities are planned to be installed during 2025.

According to the Ministry of Health, during the full-scale war, Russia has damaged and destroyed over 2,200 medical facilities in Ukraine. Specifically, through constant bombings and attacks, Russia has damaged 1,971 medical facilities and completely destroyed another 300, leaving them beyond repair.

Healthcare facilities in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipretrovsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions have been the hardest hit. Additionally, since the war began, Russia has damaged 234 emergency medical vehicles, destroyed 273, and captured 80.