WHO struggles to deliver supplies to hospitals in besieged Mariupol amid Russian attacks

As the Russian onslaught on Ukraine entered day 56, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday said it is struggling to send two electricity generators to hospitals in the besieged port city of Mariupol in Ukraine, which has remained the worst-hit since early March.

Lack of electricity, war, and dwindling food supplies has left the citizens "desperate" in the wake of the Russian occupation, Doctors Without Borders had said. Noting the deteriorating conditions, WHO said it was trying to deliver 15 generators to Ukraine hospitals from its base in the west Ukrainian city of Lviv.

This comes after WHO on Wednesday said it verified 147 incidents of Russian attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine. As many as 73 health workers are reportedly dead, with 52 injured, as Moscow prepares for intense "phase two" of its invasion.

"One of our biggest concerns right now is maintaining people who need help," said WHO Europe spokesperson Bhanu Bhatnagar said in a briefing to reporters in Geneva.

WHO faces issues over medical supplies in war-hit Mariupol

The apex healthcare body has moved its supplies closer to the frontlines in an attempt to expedite electric generator deliveries through open windows in the frontlines. On Tuesday, two of the equipment were due for the eastern city of Kharkiv. Another three were headed for Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as Donbass region.

The aforementioned areas witnessed colossal bombings yesterday, as Russian troops launched their offensive in eastern Ukraine. Two more diesel generators were destined to reach Mariupol, Bhatnagar said.

"We will only move the generators to the final destination when we can ensure the safety of our personnel and precious cargo they are transporting," Bhatnagar informed, as quoted by WSJ.

He added, "Intense fighting could threaten supply chains in and out of affected areas." Units earmarked for the port city will currently be stored in a warehouse before WHO moves closer to the besieged city in the coming days. Given the devastating health structure in the strategic port city, these generators will "help meet the minimum energy needs of medical and surgical units of a referral hospital, where power supply is minimal or non-existent," the WHO official said.

He further pointed out that even a momentary power failure could have “serious consequences for patients”, like those needing medical oxygen.

Humanitarian situation worsens as Russia-Ukraine war enters 'second phase'

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 19 officially confirmed that Russia has begun its "next phase" of war in East Ukraine after rummaging through western and central Ukraine.

In the seven weeks of the invasion, at least 6 million people are said to be economically impacted and are in need of food, cash, and assistance, as per UN World Food Program (WFP.) At least 4.9 million people have fled Ukraine since the war broke out in late February.

(Image: AP)