HOSPITALS MUST REMAIN A SAFE HAVEN FOR PEOPLE IN NEED

I am deeply saddened and shocked by this morning’s news from Selydove Town in the Donetsk Region, eastern Ukraine, where yet another overnight attack on this war-torn town took more civilian lives and damaged a hospital, homes and nearby civilian infrastructure. 

The news of reported casualties is appalling – a pregnant woman, a mother with her child, a six-month-old baby and other civilians, adults and children – lost their lives or were injured in this horrific attack. The hospital administration had to evacuate patients in the middle of the night – the second time in just a few months, as the same hospital was hit in November 2023.

These repeated attacks impacting vital health-care facilities are a stark reminder of the devastating impact that Russia’s war on Ukraine has on civilians, especially those seeking medical care. In 2024 alone, the World Health Organization verified a staggering 28 attacks impacting health personnel and patients, hospitals, medical transport and supplies across Ukraine. 

Attacks on health care are an egregious violation of international humanitarian law and humanity as such. It is totally unacceptable that civilians seeking medical attention, already grappling with the physical and emotional toll of illness or injury, should also face violence and destruction. 

Hospitals must remain a safe haven for people in need.