WHO Director General assures Ukraine of support in fight against pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) will continue to support Ukraine in its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Answers" in Kyiv on Monday, February 8, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“I want to assure that the WHO will continue to provide you with support to stop the transmission of COVID-19 and save lives in order to restore the normal life of the country,” Ghebreyesus noted.

He recalled that the WHO, together with international partners, provided support to Ukraine. “We tried to develop laboratory capacity as well as improve capabilities in the context of pandemic response. The WHO also supported more than 200 hospitals and laboratories in the fight against both tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, not just a pandemic,” the WHO Director General said.

He also welcomed Ukraine's successful steps to combat COVID-19. “Ukraine was one of the first countries to develop a pandemic preparedness and response plan, and we tried to support Ukraine together with our partners from the European Union and the World Bank,” Ghebreyesus said.

The WHO Director General expressed his condolences to the Ukrainians who lost their loved ones during the pandemic, and urged to continue to actively respond to its challenges to restore "safe and healthy Ukraine."

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