War is hell, says WHO Director-General

The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his recent statement, cited that war is hell as he urged Russia to end the war with Ukraine.

Speaking on the matter, the full statement of the WHO Director-General is: “We discussed the health situation in Ukraine, & how WHO can best support the – Ministry of Health to deliver care in conflict areas, as well as to sustain care for those who require it throughout Ukraine”.

“My time here has impacted me very personally. As someone who – grew up in a warzone myself – I understand only too well how – the people of Ukraine feel – the worry for family & friends, the fear, the sense of loss”.

“I have seen extraordinary resilience – people who have suffered loss and destruction but have not given up. They have kept going, repairing essential services to stop that destruction making a deeper hole in their lives”.

Following the above statement, he further stated, “I have seen the damage inflicted on health structures in Ukraine, & listened to accounts of the harm – physical and mental – inflicted on health workers. These are people whose – primary motivation is to protect health & life”.

“WHO has now verified 200 attacks on health care in Ukraine since the war began. These attacks must stop. Healthcare is never a target. While I saw and learned of great suffering, I also saw bravery, humour, kindness and heard stories of spontaneous, often ingenious ways people have found to help and protect one another”.

“Some of those I am talking about is our own agency of WHO in Ukraine,
staff, who, although they have lost their homes, fear for their families, deal with daily uncertainty, & have kept working to support the health needs of the people of Ukraine“.