A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross composed of medical personnel, water engineers and specialists on risks associated with explosive ordnance and mines delivered aid to Kherson on Tuesday and assessed the humanitarian situation.
“There are immense needs in Kherson, but we also saw incredible resilience from the people, volunteers and health professionals who have persevered through great difficulty and are facing very harsh conditions,” Stephan Sakalian, the head of the ICRC’s delegation in Ukraine, said during the visit.
The ICRC delivered to two hospitals enough medical supplies to treat 500 wounded patients and 2,000 patients in need for primary health care for 3 months, brought 600 food parcels and hygiene kits to a psychiatric hospital, assisted local water service providers with the donation of one water truck, and supported with 600 food parcels and hygiene kits our Ukrainian Red Cross partner currently engaged in helping the most vulnerable population.
The population of Kherson faces many other urgent challenges: restoring connectivity so people can communicate with their loved ones; repairing damaged power plants which have cut off heat and electricity for residents, and on which access to water and sewage treatment depends; and providing access to clean drinking water.
The team also met with the Kherson branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross as well as local authorities to better understand and address those most critical needs. These relationships are a crucial link between the ICRC and communities affected by hostilities.
The ICRC remains on the ground, committed to support the population in the city and in rural parts of the region where humanitarian needs are massive too.
Download this footage from the ICRC Video Newsroom