The war unleashed by Russia "showed a horror that we could not conceive of," Olena Zelenska told the General Assembly of the Organization, which is attended by its member countries. "The WHO is committed to protecting the most fundamental human rights, those of life and health" but "today, they are being violated in Ukraine," she said, speaking by video call.
"No Ukrainian, adult or child, is sure that they will wake up tomorrow" that their home will not be hit by a missile. "Doctors cannot be sure that their ambulances will not be bombed."
The Ukrainian first lady also referred to the long-term consequences of war, particularly on mental health.
"I could cite many horrible examples, but I will talk about one that shows the breadth of the phenomenon. People hiding in the Kharkiv metro for three months (...) living there with their children and animals. Because all these months Kharkiv was being bombed. And now that the metro will have to be put back into operation for the first time since the war, it turns out that there are hundreds of people who did not come out at all for all this time" and they have to be forced to do so, he explained.
Zelenska called on the international community to support Ukraine to address these challenges.
Speaking in turn to the General Assembly, Russian Deputy Minister of Health Alexandra Dronova denounced "attempts to politicize the Agency's work" and the "deviation from the principle of impartiality" in carrying out its work.
"In this light, we ask the (WHO) Director-General not to allow the Agency to become a political platform," she added, explaining that Moscow considers it a "reliable partner" because it guarantees warring sides "equal and full access" to health services.
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