A special session was conducted by the WHO Regional Committee for Europe yesterday, May 10, 2022, to get an update on the present situation in Ukraine, during which a resolution was also proposed by 38 Member States with three key requests.
The international organisation tweeted while providing the information about the meeting, “The WHO Regional Committee for Europe conducted a rare special session on the war in Ukraine & its impact on health. A large majority of Member States passed a resolution, citing attacks on health, among other factors”.
In the meeting, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, underscored the efforts of the international health agency in providing support to the Ukraine refugees amid war.
Dr Kluge cited, “Pan-European unity is more than a slogan. It’s the best way to move forward to ensure health for everyone. Let us remember the spirit that created the European Programme of Work, unanimously approved in 2020 by all 53 Member States in the – WHO European Region. It’s this spirit that should guide us going forward”.
In the meantime, the WHO Regional Director asserted, “These are tough times, but WHO’s resolve to put health at the centre of recovery – rising above politics – is stronger than ever. While we discuss and debate, the real lives of real people are on the line – millions of children, women and men. Let us never lose sight of that”.
Following the above statement, he then added, “Every action has an effect; thinking via all of the outcomes may take time, but our ultimate aim is to ensure the health and well-being of the people we are mandated to serve”.
WHO Europe will be and is assessing the health emergency in the war-hit country. A total of 42 votes were in favour of passing the resolution, three were against it, and two abstained.