TY - JOUR
T1 - Russia-Ukraine conflict and COVID-19
T2 - a double burden for Ukraine's healthcare system and a concern for global citizens
AU - Uwishema, Olivier
AU - Sujanamulk, Bhavana
AU - Abbass, Mortada
AU - Fawaz, Rabih
AU - Javed, Amaan
AU - Aboudib, Khaled
AU - Mahmoud, Ashraf
AU - Oluyemisi, Adekunbi
AU - Onyeaka, Helen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - The conflict between Ukraine and Russia significantly influences the healthcare sector. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the armed conflict have badly devastated the established healthcare system. Only 36.08% of the Ukrainian population has received the COVID-19 vaccination, with the majority receiving two doses, and currently, Ukraine records the highest mortality rate in the world. In addition to the conflict injuries, increased susceptible deaths to COVID-19 can be found due to inadequate vaccination rates for the disease. To save their lives and for their well-being, many individuals have been relocating to the underground metro stations, other cities, nearby towns and countries. In these settings, social distancing, hand sanitation and wearing masks are not prioritised. In the current circumstances, the broken healthcare system needs to be rebuilt, and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), doctors and all the front-line workers should extend their humanitarian support to the Ukrainian population. Conclusion: It is an arduous task for healthcare organisations to supply vaccines and medicines in this armed conflict' between Russia and Ukraine. This can only happen when both parties extend their support to rebuild the shattered healthcare infrastructure.
AB - The conflict between Ukraine and Russia significantly influences the healthcare sector. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the armed conflict have badly devastated the established healthcare system. Only 36.08% of the Ukrainian population has received the COVID-19 vaccination, with the majority receiving two doses, and currently, Ukraine records the highest mortality rate in the world. In addition to the conflict injuries, increased susceptible deaths to COVID-19 can be found due to inadequate vaccination rates for the disease. To save their lives and for their well-being, many individuals have been relocating to the underground metro stations, other cities, nearby towns and countries. In these settings, social distancing, hand sanitation and wearing masks are not prioritised. In the current circumstances, the broken healthcare system needs to be rebuilt, and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), doctors and all the front-line workers should extend their humanitarian support to the Ukrainian population. Conclusion: It is an arduous task for healthcare organisations to supply vaccines and medicines in this armed conflict' between Russia and Ukraine. This can only happen when both parties extend their support to rebuild the shattered healthcare infrastructure.
KW - COVID-19
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132200339&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/postgradmedj-2022-141895
DO - 10.1136/postgradmedj-2022-141895
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35654572
AN - SCOPUS:85132200339
SN - 0032-5473
VL - 98
SP - 569
EP - 571
JO - Postgraduate medical journal
JF - Postgraduate medical journal
IS - 1162
ER -
