Portraits from Ukraine’s conflict line, where humanitarian assistance is most needed
As Ukrainian armed conflict enters its fourth year, 3.4 million people in the eastern part of the country are in need of humanitarian support. Among them, the 200 000 residents living within 5 kilometres of the 457-kilometre contact line are most in need. Their lives are more heavily affected by continued shelling, limited freedom of movement, and scarcity of food, fuel and medicines, as well as by increased health risks and lack of access to health services.
Portraits from Ukraine’s... 1
People crossing the contact line at Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint, the only operational pedestrian crossing point in the Luhansk region. In 2017, up to 1 million crossings were registered at 5 check points, where people often had to spend hours without health and sanitation facilities. Long waiting periods can have health effects for civilians, particularly older people and other vulnerable groups. This is especially true in winter and summer, when people are exposed to low or high temperatures for hours or days.
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People wait in long lines to cross the contact line at Maiorske checkpoint in Eastern Ukraine. “To keep the queue in order, people use an improvised ticket system. Our car is number 150 now,” explains a woman waiting to cross. She talks about her experience of spending almost 30 hours in the line. “I had to leave my husband in the car and cross the border by foot. We cannot wait any longer, and we already missed a day at work. This is just inhumane,” she sighs
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Iryna, 61 years old, returns home from Ukrainian-controlled territories at Mariinka checkpoint in the Donetsk region. “I have to go back and forth quite often,” she says. “Mostly I travel to receive my pension and to buy some medicines and food.” Limited access to health services and shortages of medicines are quite common along both sides of the contact line. To partially fill this gap, in 2017 WHO supported around 2.5 million people with medical supplies.
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Mykola, 80, and Raisa, 75, live in the village of Zhovanka located along the contact line. Raisa can barely walk, and became deaf after shelling. Mykola grows radishes to survive, but there is no one nearby to buy them; the village is isolated and has been abandoned by the majority of its residents. As access to health care is extremely limited in the conflict zone, locals are highly dependent on support from nongovernmental, international and United Nations organizations. In 2017, health partners provided about 200 000 consultations in government-controlled areas using 5 mobile primary health care units supported by WHO.
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Tetiana is a single mother. “My daughter saved my life,” she says. When Tetiana was injured in her own backyard, her daughter Liza got on a bicycle and rode to the hospital to seek help under ongoing shelling. Their basement serves as an emergency shelter in the town of Marinka, Donetsk region.Stressful events like these in the midst of ongoing conflict have led to an increased number of people in need of psychosocial support. Yet access to mental health services remains very limited. To address this gap, WHO has delivered trainings on the humanitarian intervention guidelines of the global mental health action plan to ensure access to mental health services through assistance provided by nonspecialists.
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Maryna, 39, is the mother of 3 children. The youngest in the picture, Daryna, is Maryna’s first grandchild. Their house was burned down 2 years ago, and since then the family has relocated to 2 different temporary homes. Access to health care is critical for families with children living near the contact line. These children face a high health risk, particularly because of the ongoing measles outbreak in Ukraine and a weak surveillance system. WHO’s response to this situation has focused on building capacity for local professionals in the health sector. In 2017, over 50 health professionals working in conflict-affected areas completed WHO trainings on vaccines management for mid-level managers. In addition, 120 laboratory staff working on both sides of the conflict line received training on laboratory quality-management systems.
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The district hospital in Krasnohorivka was shelled in May 2017. Since then, little work has been done to restore the premises. In winter, roofless buildings like this become even more shattered. Since the beginning of the conflict, 130 health facilities have been reported as damaged on both sides of the conflict line. In 2017 alone, up to 66% of health facilities within 5 kilometres of the contact line reported damages. WHO condemns these attacks, and is engaged in assessing the damages and supporting the rehabilitation of health facilities. So far, WHO has supported 9 health facilities with reconstruction activities and/or equipment maintenance.