COVID-19

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 10 February 2021 – “Of the 128 million vaccine doses administered so far, more than three quarters of those vaccinations are in just 10 countries that account for 60 per cent of global GDP. “As of today, almost 130 countries, with 2.5 billion people, are yet to administer a single dose. “This self-defeating strategy will cost…

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with financial support from the PrivatBank Charitable Foundation “Helping is Easy!” provided 100 oxygen concentrators to 34 hospitals in 11 regions of Ukraine. This is the second batch of oxygen equipment UNICEF procured and shipped in partnership with the PrivatBank CF for Ukrainian hospitals in response to…

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, supplies of personal protective equipment and hygiene products were running low at conflict-weary hospitals in eastern Ukraine. "Buy a mask or a disinfectant? A healthcare professional should never face a choice like this,” says Svitlana Shabalina, head of Bakhmut Primary Care Centre in the Donetsk region.…, "Everyone is now at risk", Before the improvements at Bakhmut Primary Care Centre, mother-of-two Anna was one of many locals who was afraid to visit medical facilities. “It was difficult to teach children to use hand sanitiser,” she says. “They did not like the smell of it, did not like that it ‘pinches’ the skin. But now they understand that this is a necessity. And it’s…, Getting used to the new normal, Access to sanitation and hygiene products is crucial. This is especially important in eastern Ukraine, where the seven-year armed conflict has had a devastating impact on families. Masks, hand sanitiser and soap are an added expense in an already tough economy. image “This year, realizing the risk, we even gave up holidays,” says Anna. “But the…

Antonina, 58, was struggling to breathe and had a high fever by the time she realised she had contracted COVID-19. Overnight, she was rushed into the pneumonia and COVID-19 department of a hospital in Krasnohorivka in eastern Ukraine, where she was hooked up to an oxygen supply. image “I couldn’t breathe,” says Antonina. “The doctors were at my…, "As if the war was not enough”, Antonina is one of lucky ones. After nearly seven years of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic is further straining hospitals in eastern Ukraine. While doctors at Krasnohorivka’s Mariinka District Hospital fight for the lives of their patients, another battle field lies just beyond its walls, less than a kilometer away. image UNICEF image UNICEF…, “We lack a centralised supply", Family members are not allowed to visit COVID patients for their own safety. image “My family does not forget me, they call and bring me medicines,” says Antonina. “I am happy that I have children and grandchildren who are always there.” Antonina’s doctor, Ivan Herus, is pleased with her recovery. According to him, the oxygen concentrator machine…, “Thanks to them, I can breathe”, Nurse Varvara Tymurova dons protective overalls, shoe covers, a mask, a hair cover, visor, glasses and gloves each day before entering the intensive care unit at Volnovakha Central District Hospital,  which  is also a few kilometers away from the ‘line of contact’,  where clashes are the most severe. The department is divided into two zones – red…

Kyiv, 27 January, 2021 – UNICEF has purchased and shipped 1.2 million COVID-19 PCR tests to Ukraine to support the Government’s efforts to address the pandemic in the country. The assistance became available due to the financial support from the World Bank in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The COVID-19 genesig Real-Time PCR…

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) provided over 2,000 schools across Ukraine with educational kits to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The packages contain educational and information materials for children of all ages helping to learn in a playful way how to stay safe during a pandemic. The kits also include recommendations for staff to…

After playing football with his friends, the first thing 12-year-old Misha does is wash his hands. “You need to wash your hands for about a minute to be healthy,” he says, pouring water from a well into the washstand and picking up a bar of soap. Хлопчик намилює руки біля настінного рукомийника These plastic washing stations have been installed…

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) jointly with Postmen agency, have created three videos focusing on behavioral communication. The stories in these videos draw viewers’ attention to the fact that not observing safety rules during the pandemic is as unacceptable as other behavior which we regard as unethical in more normal times. COVID-19…

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) jointly with Postmen agency, have created three videos focusing on behavioral communication. The stories in these videos draw viewers’ attention to the fact that not observing safety rules during the pandemic is as unacceptable as other behavior which we regard as unethical in more normal times. COVID-19…

As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on our lives, three teenagers from Ukraine have declared war on another respiratory nightmare – allergies. The group are determined to stamp out one in particular – ragweed, a flowering plant that is one of the most aggressive allergens in the world. “A lot of ragweed grows in our schoolyard,” says 15-year-old…, Finding a way forward, After struggling with her own allergies, Sabina asked her school for help. But she was horrified when they suggested mowing the ragweed. “I was very indignant, because you cannot mow ragweed, as it causes the seeds to sow even faster," she says. “The principal told me that the school couldn’t help anything else. And I decided that I can do it.”…, Bringing the city together, Together with volunteers, the team has already carried out three workshops on planting grass that will prevent ragweed from growing again and protect the city during the flowering period. “We have cleared 500 square meters of ragweed,” says Andrii, 15. "You need to plant grass seeds. It has a very strong root system that will prevent ragweed from…

Lockdown has made keeping in touch more important than ever. But for 18-year-old Viktoria Konashchuk from Ukraine, whose grandparents do not know how to use technology, it has been impossible.  Viktoria is not alone. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, over half of all Ukrainians have lower-than-average digital literacy.…, Grandma joined the chat, The idea first materialised after Viktoria’s family arranged a surprise trip to Europe for her grandparents. “Before the trip, it turned out that they did not know how to use Viber, Google Maps, or even take photos,” she says. “And I urgently had to teach them everything in two days.” Viktoria realized that she could teach grandmothers all over…, Mentors light the way, As well as UAH 40,000, ITbabushka also received support from a mentor. “The mentor helped us a lot to sort out financial issues,” explains Viktoria Konashchuk. “To estimate costs, draw up a draft contract for services and prepare statutory documents. Without his support, it would have been difficult for us to do all of this." With the money, the…

UNICEF could potentially transport up to 850 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccines per month in 2021, should such quantities become available, according to a new assessment. This is more than double the average weight of vaccines UNICEF transports every month. The assessment is part of  UNICEF’s work  to lead on the procurement and delivery of COVID-19…