Destruction of healthcare system plunges Ukraine into a humanitarian disaster

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With maternity hospitals targeted by Russian forces, and maternity wards turned over to treating casualties, expectant and new mothers and their babies in Ukraine are especially vulnerable. (AFP)
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Updated 23 March 2022
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Destruction of healthcare system plunges Ukraine into a humanitarian disaster

  • Doctors and medics forced to care for the sick, the elderly and the wounded who cannot flee the war zone
  • Situation in besieged city of Mariupol particularly dire; neither can aid enter it nor civilians flee for safety

JEDDAH: Almost overnight, the war in Ukraine has compelled doctors and medics to become almost superhuman, forced to care for the sick, the elderly and the wounded who are in no position to flee the war-torn country, as health facilities come under air and artillery attack.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, some 43 assaults on health facilities have been documented by the World Health Organization’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care.

In 24 of the reported attacks, health facilities were either damaged or completely destroyed, while in five cases ambulances were hit. A total of 12 people were killed and 34 injured in these attacks, but aid agencies fear the nationwide toll is far higher.

“WHO strongly condemns acts of violence against health care,” the UN agency said in a statement on March 14. “Every single attack deprives people of life-saving services. Attacks on health care are violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.”

Disruption to trade and distribution has meant that oxygen, insulin, surgical supplies, anesthetics, transfusion kits and other medical supplies, including those for the management of pregnancy complications, are already running dangerously low across Ukraine.

“Supply chains have been severely disrupted,” the WHO said. “Many distributors are not operational, some stockpiles are inaccessible due to military operations, medical supplies are running low, and hospitals are struggling to provide care to the sick and wounded.”




With maternity hospitals targeted by Russian forces, and maternity wards turned over to treating casualties, expectant and new mothers and their babies in Ukraine are especially vulnerable. (AFP)

The deterioration of health infrastructure has also led to mounting concerns about hypothermia, frostbite and respiratory diseases in the extreme cold. Alarm bells are also ringing for mental health issues, and a lack of treatment for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers.

“Faced with this grim and escalating crisis, we are mobilizing a massive relief effort,” said Martin Griffiths, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, while announcing a $40 million fund on March 14 to support aid agencies.

The scene is, unfortunately, all too familiar. Burning buildings, people packed in bomb shelters for safety, the injured carried off by paramedics, and the deceased covered by pieces of cardboard waiting to be transferred to a morgue to be identified by their next of kin.




Children displaced from Ukraine play at charity center in Siret, Romania, on March 16, 2022. (Clodagh Kilcoyne / REUTERS)

“WHO is doing everything it its power to support the heroic health workers in Ukraine and to sustain and preserve the health system so that it may serve the people of Ukraine,” Alona Roshchenko, a spokesperson for the WHO country office in Ukraine, told Arab News. 

“To do that, WHO and its partners need further financial support. We need $57.2 million to provide essential health services, including trauma care, for 6 million people for the next three months, but our emergency appeal for Ukraine and neighboring countries is only 5.2 percent funded so far.”

In a joint statement issued on March 13, the WHO, the UN Children’s Fund and the UN Population Fund called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to attacks on healthcare professionals and facilities in Ukraine.

“To attack the most vulnerable — babies, children, pregnant women and those already suffering from illness and disease, and health workers risking their own lives to save lives — is an act of unconscionable cruelty,” they said.

Possibly the most shocking images to emerge from Ukraine in recent days were those depicting the appalling aftermath of a missile strike on a maternity hospital in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol on March 9.




A Ukrainian man injured during Russian attack receives treatment in the central hospital of Mykolaiv, western Ukraine on March 8, 2022.  (Videograb from police handout/AFP)

At least three people were killed in that attack, including a young girl, while another pregnant woman wounded in the attack died along with her baby on March 14. Photographs of the women being stretchered out of the ruins have become emblematic of the war’s brutal toll on civilians.

According to UNFPA, the UN’s reproductive health agency, two other Ukrainian maternity hospitals had already been attacked and destroyed before that strike.

Nestled on the outskirts of Kyiv, Leleka Maternity Hospital provides the best birthing experience to expectant mothers. Today, the maternity hospital is a general hospital treating wounded soldiers while providing urgent obstetric care.

“It’s really hard to understand what’s going on in Kyiv now,” Vadim Zukin, COO of Lela Maternity Hospital, told Arab News. “Personally, I have never imagined this could be a reality in Europe. Such pictures I’ve seen only in the movies before.”

Dr. Paulouski Maksim, head of the cardiac anaesthesias department, ICU and ECLS department at Feofaniya Clinical Hospital in Kyiv, told Arab News the facility has struggled to maintain oxygen and blood supplies.

IN NUMBERS

36 tons - Vital medical supplies that have reached Lviv (WHO).

10 tons - Trauma and emergency surgery kits that have reached Kyiv (WHO).

$40 million - allocated from the Central Emergency Fund to enhance aid agencies’ efforts.

6.7 million - Ukrainians internally displaced.

2.8 million - Ukrainians who have crossed into neighboring countries.

“We have problems with fibrinogen concentrate, a human blood coagulation factor to treat acute bleeding episodes, and cryoprecipitate, a frozen blood product prepared from blood plasma,” he said. 

“Consumables for thromboelastography, a method for testing blood coagulation, have also run out. There are not enough systems for rapid infusion. Ukrainian hospitals need equipment and medicines. Antibiotics, hemostatics, blood preparation equipment.”

Patients at the National Children’s Hospital Ohmatdyt, the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, located near central Kyiv, awoke last week to the sound of intense shelling.

According to Dr. Serhyi Chernyshuk, medical director at Ohmatdyt, many of the women, children and elderly patients have already been evacuated to safer areas in the west of the country to make way for the war-wounded. 




This satellite image taken on March 14, 2022 shows a hospital and apartment buildings destroyed during a Russian air barrage in Mariupol, Ukraine. (Maxar Technologies / AFP) 

“We started treating injuries caused by combat actions including adults, many of our patients and staff staying in the basement continuously and medical supplies are available,” said Chernyshuk. 

“If the situation gets worse, we’re going to have to evacuate patients through organizations if at least one way from Kyiv is open to the western part of Ukraine and abroad if necessary,” he said.

What was once a hospital treating 600 in-patients and 1,000 out-patients per day has now moved most of its consultations online for patients’ safety, restricting physical visits to just 200 per day.

Dr. Lesia Lysytsia, an ophthalmologist at Ohmatdyt, has been staying at the hospital with her husband and their two young daughters. “Treating patients under a stressful situation is something unknown to us,” Lysytsia told Arab News.




This picture shows a field hospital set up by the US relief group Samaritan's Purse at an underground parking lot of a shopping mall in Sokilnyky, western Ukraine. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP)

“We’ve evacuated all patients from Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Mariupol and Cherniv. Some patients were also evacuated from Kyiv to Lviv and were met by doctors at the border to check their situation, give patients supplies if necessary, before they move to Poland, where they’re met by doctors from St. Jude’s Hospital,” she said.

“It’s impossible to evacuate everyone and send them off to Europe. This is the most difficult part and tough decisions have to be made.” 

Moscow says its “special military operation” in Ukraine is aimed at protecting Russia’s security and that of Russian-speaking people in the eastern Donbass region. Western nations have accused Russia of invading a sovereign country and of committing war crimes.

Almost 3.5 million people have crossed into neighboring countries since the invasion began — the majority heading west into Poland — resulting in the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

Ukrainian men between 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country, which means those crossing into neighboring countries are predominantly women, children, older people and those living with disabilities, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

 

“Providing aid is putting bandages on mortal wounds right now,” said Roshchenko of the WHO country office. “Violent conflict is driving the health and humanitarian crisis, which will not stop unless there is a ceasefire and peace.” 


UK anti-Islam activist ‘Tommy Robinson’ charged with harassment of two men

Updated 5 sec ago
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UK anti-Islam activist ‘Tommy Robinson’ charged with harassment of two men

  • Crown Prosecution Service said the alleged offenses were committed between August 5 and 7 last year

LONDON: Prominent British anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has been charged with harassment causing fear of violence to two men around the time of the nationwide riots last year, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
“We have authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 42, with harassment causing fear of violence against two men,” a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said in a statement.
Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, is currently in prison over a separate contempt of court issue but is due to be released next week after winning a bid on Tuesday to trim the 18-month sentence.
The CPS said the alleged offenses were committed between August 5 and 7 last year — when riots broke out at anti-immigration protests in towns and cities across Britain following the murder of three young girls in Southport, northwest England.
Yaxley-Lennon, who describes himself as a journalist who exposes state wrongdoing and counts US billionaire Elon Musk among his supporters, was accused by some media and politicians of inflaming tensions at the time of the riots.


Three British ministers to explain increase in arms exports to Israel despite partial ban

Updated 16 min 34 sec ago
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Three British ministers to explain increase in arms exports to Israel despite partial ban

  • Trade Minister Douglas Alexander and relevant ministers from the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence will answer MPs’ questions
  • Liam Byrne, chair of the business select committee, says ministers should clarify reasons behind the increase in arms exports to Israel

LONDON: The British parliamentary committee overseeing trade is summoning three Labour government ministers responsible for arms exports to Israel to answer questions about loopholes in the rules.

In September, the UK government announced a partial ban on arms exports to send munitions to Israel for use in Gaza as the Israeli forces continue their attacks on the Palestinian coastal enclave.

British MPs are concerned that arms companies may exploit the partial nature of arms exports to provide weaponry to Israel for use in Gaza, potentially violating a commitment by ministers.

Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, has called Trade Minister Douglas Alexander and relevant ministers from the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence to answer questions about the arms trade with Israel.

He said in a letter that the three ministers should clarify the reasons behind the increase in arms sent to Israel. Additionally, he called for the release of statistics regarding the number of licenses altered to exclude Israel as the end user.

He said the ministers assured MPs that the partial ban covered “equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza, such as important components that go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items that facilitate ground targeting.”

His decision followed a report from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, which revealed last week that the UK government approved licenses for £127.6 million ($171.5 million) worth of military equipment to Israel in the fourth quarter of 2024, which occurred despite the Labour government’s partial ban on arms exports to Israel imposed in September.

The CAAT said that the total is greater than the combined arms exports to Israel for the years 2020 to 2023.

On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy assured MPs that “arms are not being delivered to Israel that could be used in Gaza.” However, the government has authorized over £61 million in single-issue licenses for military goods intended for Israel, including targeting systems, munitions, and aircraft parts, according to The Guardian newspaper.


Moderna pulls application for COVID-flu combination shot

Updated 21 May 2025
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Moderna pulls application for COVID-flu combination shot

  • The combination shot comprises a new COVID vaccine and an influenza vaccine
  • The company has previously said it does not expect a delay in the FDA’s decision

NEW YORK: Moderna said on Wednesday it has withdrawn an application seeking approval for its flu and COVID combination vaccine candidate to wait for efficacy data from a late-stage trial of its influenza shot, which is due later this year.

The company said it pulled the application in consultation with the US Food and Drug Administration. It is the latest sign of increased regulatory scrutiny of the vaccine approval process since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the top US health job earlier this year.

Moderna’s decision comes a day after the US FDA said it would require new clinical trials for approval of annual COVID-19 boosters for healthy people under 65.

The combination shot comprises a new COVID vaccine and an influenza vaccine, both under development by Moderna.

The company has previously said it does not expect a delay in the FDA’s decision for the next-generation COVID vaccine, which is due by the end of the month.

Shares of the company have been battered by declining COVID revenue as well as investor concerns spurred by the appointment of Kennedy, who is a vaccine skeptic, as secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Moderna has been banking on revenue from newer mRNA shots to make up for falling sales of its COVID vaccine and less-than-expected uptake of its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, which sent its shares down nearly 60 percent last year.

The company in early May pushed back the time frame for the likely approval of its combination vaccine — meant to protect adults aged 50 and above against both COVID-19 and influenza — to 2026.

The FDA last week approved rival Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine more than a month after missing the deadline for the shot’s approval, and limited its use to people with conditions that put them at risk due to the illness.


Germany defends EU-Israel deal as ‘important forum’ for talks

Updated 21 May 2025
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Germany defends EU-Israel deal as ‘important forum’ for talks

  • EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said “a strong majority” of the 27 member states had backed the review
  • Kornelius reiterated Germany’s “great concern at the humanitarian situation in Gaza“

BERLIN: Germany on Wednesday defended an EU-Israel cooperation deal, a day after the bloc had ordered a review of it in a bid to pressure Israel over the Gaza war.

Without explicitly confirming media reports that Berlin had opposed the review, foreign ministry spokesman Christian Wagner said that “the EU-Israel Association Agreement is an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.

The review announced on Tuesday comes as some European nations take a tougher line with Israel over the devastating impact of its offensive in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the territory.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said “a strong majority” of the 27 member states had backed the review.

Diplomats said 17 EU states pressed for the review under an article of the agreement that calls for a respect for human rights, with the Netherlands spearheading the latest push.

On Monday the leaders of Britain, France and Canada condemned Israel’s “egregious actions” in Gaza and warned of joint action if it did not halt its heightened military offensive there.

On Wednesday Stefan Kornelius, spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reiterated Germany’s “great concern at the humanitarian situation in Gaza” but stopped short of mentioning any possible further action.

Wagner also confirmed that on Tuesday nine German nationals had been evacuated from Gaza “in close co-ordination with the Israeli government,” together with three of their immediate family members.


Indian Navy inducts first vessel built in ancient shipbuilding style

Updated 21 May 2025
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Indian Navy inducts first vessel built in ancient shipbuilding style

  • Ship design is based on 5th-century artwork found in Ajanta Caves
  • The ship’s first transoceanic voyage is planned from Gujarat to Oman

New Delhi: The Indian Navy inducted on Wednesday its first vessel constructed using traditional shipbuilding techniques dating back to the 5th century.

The 21-meter wooden ship is a stitched ship, a type of boat that is carvel-built, with its planks stitched together using cords or ropes. The technique was popular in ancient India in constructing ocean-going vessels.

Named Kaundinya, the ship is a recreation of a vessel inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves — a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra state, where ancient Buddhist rock-cut monuments feature exquisite murals dating from the 2nd century B.C.E. to the 5th century C.E.

“The whole concept was to kind of connect to our ancient methodology of how the construction takes place and also, subsequently, connect to the historical maritime routes which Indian seafarers took during that particular time,” Cdr. Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson of the Indian Navy, told Arab News.

Funded by the Ministry of Culture, the project was launched in July 2023 and constructed by artisans from Kerala, who were led by master Indian shipwright Babu Sankaran. The vessel was completed in February this year.

The INSV Kaundinya’s induction into the Indian Navy took place in the presence of Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka, on the country’s western coast along the Arabian Sea.

The ship will sail its first transoceanic voyage from Gujarat to Oman.

“That is one of the routes which was used by the ancient seafarers,” Madhwal said, adding that new routes will be considered in the future, after the first journey.

The Indian Navy collaborated with the Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras to conduct model testing of the vessel’s hydrodynamic behavior at sea. The navy has also tested the wooden mast system, which was constructed without the use of contemporary materials.

“Every aspect of the ship had to balance historical authenticity with seaworthiness, leading to design choices that were both innovative and true to the maritime traditions of ancient India,” the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

“The combination of a stitched hull, square sails, wooden spars, and traditional steering mechanisms makes the vessel unlike any ship currently in naval service anywhere in the world.”