One month of the war in Ukraine – addressing the health needs of 2 million refugees arriving into Poland

Since the Ukraine war started on 24 February 2022, over 3 million people have fled the country to neighbouring states, with the majority, mostly women and children, crossing into Poland to seek protection.

Many of them are in need of immediate medical assistance, having been deprived of food and water and exposed to freezing temperatures during their arduous journeys. Others, with underlying health conditions, need special treatments and medication. Mental health and psychosocial services need to be scaled up to help those that have witnessed the horrors of war – as well as the frontline workers who are supporting them.

WHO in Poland is supporting the Polish health system and health workers to meet the immediate health needs of refugees from Ukraine, as well as to ensure continuity of care for those with existing health conditions.

We visited some of the refugee reception points along the Polish border with Ukraine to hear first-hand about the impacts on health resulting from such a large-scale population displacement.