Delivering critical maternal health care in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is forcing mothers to deliver in horrific conditions, risking their lives and that of their babies when fleeing war. Since the start of the conflict, UNFPA has been providing access to life-saving health care services both in Ukraine and Moldova. So far UNFPA has delivered more than 59 metric tons of reproductive health supplies, with the potential to cover the needs of more than 4.5 million people. 

“Pregnancies, childbirth, menstruation, and gender-based violence are not put on hold for wars, but at a time when women and girls’ needs increase, their access to life-saving services and support may radically diminish. UNFPA has been on the ground identifying and responding to these needs. To date, we have distributed reproductive health supplies to 26 hospitals in war-torn cities across Ukraine. This is still not enough to meet the priority reproductive health needs of the population, including women who may need emergency obstetric care", said Jaime Nadal Roig, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine.

These kits included supplies for safe births, STI treatments, post-abortion care treatment, and family planning coverage. As health infrastructure has been targeted, UNFPA also delivered a mobile maternity unit. The 20ft shipping container is designed to provide essential maternal care. The mobile maternity unit consists of a waiting area, a treatment/delivery room, and a recovery area. It has a toilet, shower, and storage room and it is designed to facilitate medical procedures. This unit can cover large areas and reallocate when the demand is geographically shifting. Besides this flexibility, this maternity unit has a longer lifespan than the immediate response.

 

Get the latest details about UNFPA humanitarian response in Ukraine in this Humanitarian Snapshot.