22/04/2026
“People are living under constant stress, exposed to daily attacks, power cuts, and prolonged uncertainty… What should be manageable chronic conditions are becoming life-threatening.”
Across Ukraine, war-related insecurity combined with extremely stressful living conditions is triggering a worrying trend of late consultations, with patients developing complications that could have been prevented with timely care.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion launched by Russian forces in February 2022, many local clinics have been damaged or destroyed, medical staff have left, and pharmacies are often closed. Reaching a doctor can require travelling long distances — sometimes 20, 30, or even up to 100 kilometres — along damaged roads and under the constant threat of drone strikes.
To address these gaps, MSF supports hospitals near the frontline and runs mobile clinics in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
As the war continues, ensuring access to basic healthcare is not only about treating emergencies but preventing them. Without timely care, manageable chronic diseases will continue to escalate into life-threatening conditions, silently worsening the health of those already living through extreme hardship.
To learn more and to support our MSF's work in Ukraine and around the world, go to msf.ie.
