As Ukraine marks the fourth year since the full-scale invasion, international medical charity UK-Med says civilian health needs are intensifying, with chronic illness and mental health now placing growing strain on communities living close to the frontline.
Since first deploying in April 2022, UK-Med has supported tens of thousands of people affected by the conflict, making Ukraine its longest-running humanitarian response and second largest programme globally – after Gaza.
Born out of the NHS and with more than 30 years’ experience delivering emergency healthcare worldwide, UK-Med is the most deployed WHO-classified Emergency Medical Team (EMT) globally and the the UK’s official Emergency Medical Team delivery partner.
CEO of UK-Med, David Wightwick CMG, said –
“Four years on, civilians in Ukraine are still waking up to air raid sirens, damaged homes and profound uncertainty. Repeated attacks on infrastructure, power cuts and the harsh winter conditions are compounding health risks— especially for older people, families with young children and those living close to the frontline.”
“While the nature of the medical need is changing, it is not diminishing. Without sustained support, communities already stretched to breaking point will face even greater barriers to care.”
Responding where needs are greatest
Since 2022, UK-Med has worked across Ukraine including in Chernivtsi, Lviv, Poltava, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv and Donetsk. Today, our operational bases in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv enable us to reach frontline and hard-to-reach communities in Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv Oblasts — many of which receive little or no other humanitarian health support.
Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and regional facilities, UK-Med ensures continuity of care while strengthening the resilience of local health systems.
Delivering essential healthcare on the frontline
From the earliest days of the response, UK-Med deployed specialist surgical and trauma teams, carrying out more than 1,099 surgical interventions in the initial phase of the crisis. We also supported rehabilitation services for trauma patients — capacity that remains available for re-mobilisation and expansion as needs evolve.
Currently, our mobile health teams — composed of a primary care doctor, nurse, community health worker and psychologist — deliver primary and urgent healthcare and mental health and psychosocial support directly to people living close to the frontline.
Since the start of the response, UK-Med has provided:
- 66,796 primary healthcare consultations
- 12,464 individual mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) sessions, 777 group sessions
- 684 over-the-counter medical kits, 9,320 first aid kits and 11,905 torniquets donated
Our services prioritise women, children, older people and those with limited access to care. Women account for 80% of MHPSS consultations and 72% of community engagement participants, reflecting both need and barriers to accessing services.
The most common conditions treated through our primary healthcare services include hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes — highlighting the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in conflict-affected communities.
In addition to mobile services, two roving psychologists are embedded across Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv, supporting Shelters and Transit Centres and healthcare workers in hospitals, to address the increasing mental health impacts of prolonged conflict and displacement.
Strengthening emergency preparedness
Alongside delivering direct care, UK-Med has focussed on strengthening Ukraine’s emergency preparedness capacity; supporting health workers, first responders and communities to respond to multiple hazards.
Since 2022, we have delivered:
- 1,478 training sessions
- 27,135 participants trained
- 9,686 health workers
- 9,738 civilians
- 3,293 first responders
- 4,418 NGO workers and volunteers
Training topics include First Aid and Trauma Care, Psychological First Aid, Mass Casualty Incident Management, Infection Prevention and Control, Wound Management, Advanced Sonography in Trauma, Paediatric Trauma Care, Palliative Care Nursing, the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), and non-communicable disease management.
Post-training donations of equipment and supplies have further strengthened facility readiness and local response capacity
Looking ahead
As the conflict continues into its fifth year, UK-Med remains committed to supporting Ukraine’s health system and the communities it serves. Needs remain acute — but so too does the resilience of Ukraine’s health workers and communities. UK-Med stands alongside them.
NOTES TO EDITORS
UK-Med is a UK-registered charity (CIO 1166956) providing emergency health support when health systems are overwhelmed, both in the UK and internationally. We have a roster of nearly 1,500 medics and humanitarians, some of whom are NHS workers, on standby to respond to global health crises 24/7.
