Ministerial visit to Ukraine focused on health care and situation for women

Resistance permeates Ukraine’s society and its health and medical care. The ministerial visit included an extensive programme highlighting the situation for women and children in conflict zones. Ms Lann and Ms Larsson met with health care workers, women veterans and survivors of Russia’s systematic use of sexual violence in Ukraine.

International support for a health care system under pressure

Minister for Health Care Elisabet Lann met bilaterally with Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko to discuss the Ukrainian health care system’s capacity, need for support and potential forms of future cooperation. It was repeatedly stressed that Swedish support has been critical to Ukraine’s ability to maintain its health care system and support initiatives during the ongoing invasion. This includes training provided to health care staff and support for Ukraine’s civil society.

“I am thoroughly impressed by Ukraine’s resilience. It is admirable that they are able to keep so many things operating under such extreme conditions, particularly in health and medical care. Ukraine needs our continued support, and we can learn a great deal from their tenacity and experiences,” says Ms Lann.

The Swedish delegation also had the opportunity to meet with patients and staff during visits to Ukrainian health and medical care facilities, such as the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital that was struck in a Russian missile attack in July 2024, the Superhumans Center clinic and rehabilitation facility and the First Lviv Territorial Medical Union hospital.

It was clear from the visits that there is a great deal to learn from Ukraine’s way of organising and maintaining health care in an ongoing war.

Gender-based disinformation during war

Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson met bilaterally with Daryna Harib, Information Manager of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.

“It’s important to be there on the ground showing our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people, and I wanted to learn more about how they work on issues like gender-based disinformation and various forms of influence campaigns that Russia is carrying out,” says Ms Larsson.

Civil society’s role in Ukraine’s resilience

Minister for Health Care Elisabet Lann and Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson met with several civil society organisations in which women play leading roles in Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russia’s invasion and its consequences.

• The Ukrainian Women Veterans Movement, VETERANKA, is an organisation for women in the military, veterans and volunteers working to strengthen women’s role and rights in the security and defence sector.
• Tactical Medicine North is a Ukrainian civil society organisation made up of medical volunteers. It also carries out evacuations of wounded individuals from the front lines to medical facilities and trains combat medics in tactical medicine. 
• SEMA Ukraine fights gender-based violence used as a weapon in war and offers support to the women and men affected. The organisation documents abuses and works to bring legal action and draw increased international attention to sexual violence in war and armed conflict, which is a war crime.