Latvia to make a contribution in support of Ukrainian medical institutions

On 16 July 2024, the Government approved a draft legislative act advanced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "On the allocation of financial resources from the State Budget Programme 'Contingency Fund'", which aims to ensure EUR 100 000 in funding towards Latvia's support for the functioning of Ukrainian medical institutions in the war conditions. By this Cabinet Order, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is being authorised to make a contribution on behalf of Latvia to support the work of Ukrainian medical institutions. The funds will be used for their reconstruction and medical equipment supply, their functioning and treatment of patients.

Considering current developments, the payment will be made through a single responsible United Nations agency, such as the World Health Organization or the United Nations Office for Project Services, or via the Ukrainian Ministry of Health.

In addition, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Latvia, in close co-operation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and embassies, collects information regarding the urgently needed medicine, medical products and equipment, and work is under way on organising yet another shipment of donations to the Ukrainian health-care institutions. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Latvia has been assisting Ukraine bilaterally with medical devices, medicines, ambulance vehicles, and other medical equipment and materials.

Since the beginning of its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia has been persistently carrying out attacks on civilian facilities, including hospitals. The World Health Organisation has verified 1,878 attacks affecting health-care facilities, personnel, transport, supplies and patients.

On 8 July 2024, Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine's largest children's hospital, Okhmatdyt, and the ISIDA centre for women's health and family planning. A number of patients and doctors from both medical facilities suffered injuries or died in the strikes. Those attacks have caused serious disruption to the functioning of medical facilities and placed additional burden on other Ukrainian hospitals.