The Regional Director of the WHO Europe – Hans Kluge, recently paid a visit to Chernihiv Oblast in Ukraine. These healthcare facilities have been touched by heavy fire, with many of them completely destroyed.
The regional director further added that the health sector should not be targeted by countries.
During his visit, he also met with the first lady of Ukraine – Olena Zelenska and ensured the assistance of WHO Europe to the war-torn country.
Kluge tweeted, “A true honour to meet the First Lady of Ukraine, a dedicated champion of mental health – required now more than ever. WHO Europe will stand with you as we build a pan-European mental health network to learn, exchange & support some of the most vulnerable people in society“.
This week I have visited Chernihiv Oblast in Ukraine 🇺🇦.
All the healthcare facilities here have been touched by heavy fire, with many completely destroyed.
Healthcare should never be a target. pic.twitter.com/4Abs9ZLzEs
— Hans Kluge (@hans_kluge) May 19, 2022
Below is the full statement of Kluge on visiting Ukraine:
He then speaks to the media, cited, “I am here for the first time in Chernihiv Oblast, and I just spoke to the medical director of this destroyed healthcare facility. The oblast is close to the border with Belarus and the Russian Federation and has been heavily under fire at the beginning of the war, and still, sporadic shelling is happening. And I am so disheartened as a medical doctor myself to hear the doctors telling how the healthcare facilities, all of them have been touched by heavy fire”.
“Six to eight have been completely destroyed, including a tuberculosis building. Healthcare should never be a target. On my 3rd visit to Ukraine during the ongoing year, I have seen people’s incredible positivity, ingenuity & resilience”.
He then added that the international health agency is focusing on building a more robust healthcare system in Ukraine.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its 85th day.
Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his address, underlined that Russia utilized a laser weapons system which is a sign of the failure of the Russian military’s invasion.
