The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the allocation of an additional $1.8 million to support healthcare in Ukraine, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Facebook, News.Az reports.

According to the WHO, the allocated funds will be aimed at improving the detection of infectious diseases and strengthening epidemiological surveillance.

“For almost six months now, Ukraine's healthcare system has faced numerous and serious challenges due to the ongoing conflict. We are beginning to see an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases with a corresponding increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths, caused by BA.5 subvariant of Omicron strain which has spread rapidly in Europe since the beginning of June," said Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

He pointed to the impact of the war on routine immunization against such highly infectious and potentially life-threatening diseases as measles, polio, and diphtheria.

A cholera outbreak remains a real and serious threat, according to Kluge. "The rapid and unexpected spread of monkeypox in the European region could become an even bigger problem for the Ukrainian health care system when the virus reaches Ukraine," he added.

On behalf of WHO, Kluge thanked USAID for its contribution to protecting the health and well-being of the Ukrainian people and emphasized that health should be at the center of humanitarian aid, as well as a key component of Ukraine's recovery.

News.Az