Ukraine is the largest country completely located in Europe. It is home to approximately 43 million people. 20 million of these have been displaced due to the war, with some 7.5 million outside of Ukraine, the rest in the Western parts of the country. The ongoing war with Russia, has had a devastating impact on the country and its population.
The most immediate of these problems is the electricity shortage. Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity is only at half of what it needs to provide reliable and safe power to the population. This is due to Russian missile attacks on civilian infrastructure, which is a war crime. The destruction of substations and distribution network has caused many households and businesses in the Kyiv, Dnipro and Odesa regions to be without electricity every day for most of the day.
The damage wrought by Russia singlehandedly in its attack on Ukraine, without reason, is now nearing 850 billion Euros. This is the current estimate required to rebuild Ukraine. Although the rate of Russian missile attacks has been reduced, it is estimated that they still possess some 1200 missiles that can be launched.
Ukrainian air defences are achieving an average rate of 80% success against missile attacks. However, there are certain ballistic missiles that Ukraine has no defence against, until such time as the Patriot anti-missile systems are delivered, which have been promised by the US, Germany and Netherlands.
The prevalencee of mental health issues among Ukrainian children is increasing because of psychological trauma from exposure to violence, displacement from their homes, other forms of abuse, and societal disruption. Mental health treatment for these children is critically important in alleviating the emotional distress and reversing the negative consequences of the war.
Schools are only partially open or are using a combination of shortened classes and distance learning.
It is necessary to establish and provided preventive healthcare strategies and interventions, such as health education and nutritional programs. Children in war-affected areas are vulnerable to physical and psychosocial problems, nutritional and health support can create a positive and protective environment for healthy growth and development.
Ultimately, Ultimately, addressing the mental health needs of children in Ukraine requires a comprehensive, multipronged approach to ensure the psychosocial and physical needs of these children are met. With the support of mental health specialists, local community members, and governments, Ukrainian children can become resilient and reach their full potential.
