46% of Ukrainians Suffer Mental Health Issues in Third Year of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion

Ukraine’s health system continues to face significant pressure as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine extends into its third year, according to The World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest health assessment (October 2024), 68% of Ukrainians report a decline in their overall health compared to the pre-war period.

Mental health concerns are the most prevalent, affecting 46% of the population, followed by mental health disorders (41%) and neurological conditions (39%).

Attacks on medical facilities and personnel ongoing in 2025. WHO has recorded 42 assaults on health-care infrastructure this year, resulting in 12 injuries and three deaths. Since the full-scale invasion began, there have been more than 2,254 attacks.

“Being a doctor in wartime means returning home after each shift, wishing the war had never happened and praying for its swift end. People are exhausted—both the patients and the health-care workers. Yet, as medical professionals, we do not have the luxury of being tired,” says Olha Zavyalova, an emergency physician and surgeon from the Dnipro region.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Health reports that by mid-2024, at least 100,000 amputations had been performed due to combat injuries. A shortage of trauma specialists, prosthetics, and rehabilitation services has made access to long-term care more difficult.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)  remain the leading cause of death, accounting for 84% of fatalities. Limited access to medical services, medication shortages, and high treatment costs have affected patients with chronic conditions.

Among internally displaced persons, 13% report no access to primary health-care facilities, compared to 6% of host community residents. Nine percent do not have a family doctor, and 12% have not signed a medical declaration.

Health-care access is particularly strained in front-line regions, where hospitals report shortages of medical supplies, personnel, and infrastructure. In 10 war-affected oblasts, 68% of adults say their health has worsened.

WHO states that it has shifted from emergency relief to strengthening Ukraine’s health-care system. Current efforts focus on expanding primary health care, mental health services, immunization, infection control, and antimicrobial resistance.

In related news, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine employs over 100 psychologists to assist in the aftermath of Russia’s attacks. Psychological first aid providers are the first to respond in the aftermath of a disaster.