Working to help both combatants and civilians, Ukraine’s healthcare system has been struggling to provide services to those who need it most. And despite being protected by the Geneva conventions, various healthcare sites have found themselves under fire, with multiple hospitals having been struck by shelling. Adding more strain, many regions have reported disruptions in or complete exhaustion of key medical supplies, with medical facilities running short of even basic supplies.
Even with these challenges, the medical system is attempting to continue providing as much service as they can, with the Minister of Health for Ukraine, Viktor Lyashko, calling for “business as usual”. With the crisis, however, that has not been possible, as individual sites have been given authorization to pursue supplies independently and directly from manufacturers. Similarly, pharmacies have faced shortened stocks, as military actions have prevented them from regularly replenishing critical medications, due to disrupted supply lines and increased demands. As the conflict continues, challenges to the healthcare system are only expected to worsen.
Source:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00472-X/fulltext
