World Health Organization Ukraine

📌 On 27 February, WHO in Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and with the support of the UK Government, held a launch event titled “On the way to the European Union: Implementation of the Strategy for Reforming Residential Institutions for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities and Deinstitutionalization of Care.” ✍ The event aimed to bring together key stakeholders to exchange experiences, discuss anticipated challenges in strategy implementation, and develop effective models for providing services to older people and persons with disabilities to ensure their inclusion in local communities. 🤝 This strategy was developed by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, with the support of WHO Ukraine, to identify and eliminate barriers to independent living in the community for older people and persons with disabilities and promote full and effective participation in socio-economic and cultural life. To achieve this, the Government of Ukraine must develop a system for providing social, medical, rehabilitative, educational, and other services at the level of territorial communities, ensuring a family-centered care approach. The strategy is designed for 10 years, beginning in 2025, and is consistent with the implementation of international obligations undertaken by Ukraine on its path to the accession of the European Union. Jarno Habicht Hans Kluge WHO Regional Office for Europe Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office European Union

Today is the World Obesity Day. Obesity among adults and children remains a major public health challenges.   According to the WHO COSI study on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school children: 🔹 In 2023–2024, over 1 in 5 children in Ukraine aged 7 (21.9%) were living with overweight or obesity 🔹 Obesity affected 8% of children 🔹 Boys were less likely than girls to be in the "healthy weight" category (75.6% versus 77.1%)   Among the adults, in 2019, only 39.6% of Ukrainians had normal weight, while 59.1% of the population were overweight and 24.8% were obese. These are the results of the STEPS survey on prevalence of noncommunicable disease risk factors in Ukraine.   Obesity is a major risk factors for such diseases as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and various forms of cancer.   To prevent overweight and obesity: ✅ limit energy intake from total fats and sugars ✅increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains and nuts; ✅engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes spread through the week for adults)   Read the latest WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in Ukraine 👉 https://bit.ly/COSIstudy

📌 WHO in Ukraine continues to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine in developing a modern rehabilitation system. On 24-26 February, WHO in Ukraine held the first workshop of the Rehabilitation Workforce Task Team – evaluation of the national rehabilitation workforce using the Guide for Rehabilitation Workforce Evaluation (GROWE) in Ukraine. The aim is to clarify the demand for and availability of the rehabilitation workforce and to address challenges related to rehabilitation workforce education and training. ✍ The Guide for Rehabilitation Workforce Evaluation (GROWE) is a set of resources that can be used to support workforce planning and development. It applies a labor market and competency analysis approach to help stakeholders understand the state of the rehabilitation workforce and its problems and opportunities. 🔰 The assessment will cover the whole of Ukraine and will concern the following list of rehabilitation professionals according to the Article 10 of the Law of Ukraine "About rehabilitation in the field of healthcare": physical and rehabilitation medicine physician, physical therapist, ergotherapist (occupational therapist), speech and language therapist, prosthetist-orthotist, psychologist and psychotherapist, rehabilitation nurse, physical therapist’s assistant and ergotherapist’s assistant. The GROWE process will also include the social worker profession, which is essential for delivery of rehabilitation care. ✅ Following the evaluation, WHO in Ukraine plans to hold two more workshops, as well as provide a report with recommendations and an action plan to strengthen the rehabilitation workforce in Ukraine, which will lead to improved quality and accessibility of rehabilitation services. 🤝 The event was held thanks to the financial support of the European Union and the Government of the United Kingdom. Jarno Habicht WHO Regional Office for Europe European Commission Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Three specialized health facilities were damaged during the last night attack on Kharkiv. In one of them, five patients were injured while receiving inpatient care at night. The sanctity and safety of health care must be respected and protected at all times. photos by OCHA Ukraine Jarno Habicht World Health Organization

✅ WHO in Ukraine conducted training for specialists of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on event-based surveillance and the tool for its implementation - the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system. ✍ In the context of growing challenges for the Ukrainian health system, the implementation of event-based surveillance is a critically important step to strengthen national epidemiological intelligence. 📍 EIOS is a global system developed by WHO for the rapid detection, verification and analysis of information on potential threats to public health. It is one of the tools for event-based surveillance and provides the function of early warning, notification and response. The ultimate goal is to detect and respond to public health threats so early and quickly that they do not affect the lives and health of citizens. 🔹 During the training, participants mastered the methodology of working with the standard operating procedure for event-based surveillance and the EIOS system, gained practical skills in their use, and became familiar with the best practices in the use of EIOS in the world and Ukraine. 🔰 WHO will continue to support Ukraine in strengthening its public health system and responding to emergencies. 🤝 The event was held with the support of the European Union. European Commission

A nurse in the Antonivka community, Kherson region, treats wounds and war-related injuries amid regular, almost daily attacks. Right now, the community has no water or gas supply, frequent power outages, and no mobile coverage. This is the harsh reality of war. To support the most vulnerable, WHO delivered first aid kits to 100 households as part of an inter-agency convoy. Jarno Habicht World Health Organization

Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, making once-treatable infections more dangerous. To help healthcare professionals take control of antibiotic use in their hospitals, WHO is launching the international Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Coaching Program — a hands-on, expert-led guidance designed to equip clinicians with the tools to implement real change.   This program offers a unique and competitive opportunity for physicians to receive personalized coaching from leading antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) experts.   🌍 Program Highlights: ✅ One-on-One Coaching with AMS Experts ✅ Advanced Clinical Training ✅ Real-World Application ✅ Community & Collaboration   📅 Deadline to Apply: 7 March 2025 📌 Apply Now: Send your CV and Cover Letter at amscoaching@who.int Learn more ⬇️

🔰 WHO took part in an inter-agency humanitarian convoy to the village of Tavriyske in Zaporizka oblast today. The mission's purpose was to provide essential medical supplies for the treatment of non-communicable diseases to the Orikhiv Primary Health Care Center's health facility. ✔️Despite being near the front line, the center continues to provide medical care to more than 2,000 residents. This is an example of WHO’s targeted health interventions to reach people with limited access to healthcare in hard-to-reach areas. ✔️ WHO remains committed to supporting the people of Ukraine by ensuring access to essential health services, even in the most affected regions. The donation was made with the support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), and USAID Ukraine.

✍ Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the number of people with disabilities in Ukraine has increased due to injuries, loss of access to essential health services, and the breakdown of community support. ❓ How has the war affected the economic situation and employment of people with disabilities, and what challenges do they face? 📌 With the support of the World Health Organization Ukraine and the government of Great Britain, the League of the Strong, together with the research agency InfoSapiens, conducted a study on the livelihood needs and access to the labor market of people with disabilities in the context of the war in Ukraine. 🔰 During the presentation of the study results, Stephanie Schramm, WHO Ukraine’s disability inclusiv humanitarian action consultant, mentioned that inclusion is vital to ensure universal access to health services and to support health reform in Ukraine. It is very important that all spheres of social life cooperate, strengthen resilience, and understand how important these spheres and infrastructure are in protecting human rights. We need to ensure the implementation of all rights of people with disabilities. ✅ According to the results of the study: 🔹 68% of people with disabilities report not having enough money for food and clothing; 🔸 Often people with disabilities report barriers including stigma to exercise their right to work. At the same time, people with disabilities are a valuable labor resource: despite limited access to education and resources 32% of adults have higher education, and 45% have vocational education; about 70% have work experience; 🔹 The employment rate of people with disabilities over 18 years of age is extremely low - only 20% work. And among people with mental and intellectual disabilities, this figure is even lower - 7%; 🔸 Among barriers to find a job are low salaries (42%) and reluctance to hire people with disabilities (42%), as well as traditional ways of working with limited flexibility (for example, lack of part-time work, home office modalities, etc.) that would accommodate a wide range of people and situations; 🔹 64% of business leaders report not being aware of state programs to support employment of people with disabilities. At the same time, they majority report being willing to employ people with disabilities. 🔸 People with disabilities are an undervalued human resource. They want and can work, but often face numerous barriers. This is a question of equal opportunities and rights of people with disabilities based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). You can read the full report on the website: 👉 https://bit.ly/4hPdWZA Jarno Habicht WHO Regional Office for Europe World Health Organization Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office The League of the Strong

💔 40% of all healthcare facilities attacked during the war were primary care facilities, which were damaged or abandoned.     🤝 Despite the continuous war in Ukraine, WHO installed 29 modular clinics, supporting early recovery and providing access to essential health services, bringing hope to the Ukrainian people. Jarno Habicht Hans Kluge WHO Regional Office for Europe World Health Organization