WHO Rushes Supplies to Ukraine, Readies to Tackle Disease in Flood Areas

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization has rushed emergency supplies to flood-hit parts of Ukraine and are preparing to respond to an array of health risks including trauma, drowning and waterborne diseases like cholera, officials said on Thursday.

"The impact of the region's water supply sanitation systems and public health services cannot be underestimated," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing.

"The WHO has rushed in to support the authorities and health care workers in preventive measures against waterborne diseases and to improve disease surveillance."

Asked specifically about cholera, WHO technical officer Teresa Zakaria said that the risk of an outbreak was present since the pathogen exists in the environment. She said that the WHO was working with Ukraine's health ministry to put mechanisms in place to ensure that vaccines can be imported if needed.

Source: MEDspace