GENEVA — 1 / 4 of Ukraine’s inhabitants is prone to creating a extreme psychological well being situation because the nation grapples with the year-long Russian invasion, a particular advisor to the World Health Organization stated on Thursday.
Michel Kazatchkine, particular advisor to the WHO Regional Office for Europe, stated the battle in Ukraine had not solely resulted in a scarcity of medical provides and personnel however had additionally brought on a serious menace to psychological well being.
“WHO estimates that at this time, one out of four people in Ukraine is at risk of severe mental health conditions,” Kazatchkine advised reporters.
Describing a latest go to to the Ukrainian metropolis of Dnipro, Kazatchkine stated he had seen dozens of navy personnel hospitalized with “acute and tragic anxiety, depression and psychiatric conditions.”
“Mental health is becoming a predominant public health issue in Ukraine,” he stated. “The war and its consequences have led to an increased use of licit and illicit psychoactive substances.”
Kazatchkine added that the well being disaster in Ukraine was anticipated to unfold to different components of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, partly because of an financial downturn in Russia, whose economic system is intently linked to that of many different former Soviet republics.
“The economic downturn comes on a background of fragile health systems and very constrained health budgets,” he stated.
Russian forces have been advancing in latest weeks, aided by freshly mobilized recruits.
Ukraine says it expects Russia to broaden that offensive with an enormous push because the invasion’s Feb. 24 anniversary approaches. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
