WHO

WHO was established in 1948 as the UN specialized agency for health, with a mandate covering global health governance, normative standard-setting, disease surveillance, and emergency response. In humanitarian settings, WHO co-leads the Health Cluster alongside UNICEF, coordinates Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), manages health sector information management, and provides direct technical and logistical support to health systems under stress.

WHO Ukraine has been one of the most active Health Cluster leads globally since the full-scale invasion of 2022. Key functions include coordinating over 100 Health Cluster partner organizations, tracking attacks on health care (over 2,000 documented through 2024), procuring and distributing trauma supplies, essential medicines, and medical equipment to frontline facilities, deploying EMTs, and supporting the Ukrainian Ministry of Health on hospital triage systems, EMS reform, and pandemic preparedness. WHO’s Health Cluster coordination frameworks directly shape the operating environment for NGO health partners such as CARE.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the UN system, responsible for setting health norms and standards, providing technical guidance, and leading emergency health response. In humanitarian settings, WHO co-leads the Health Cluster and coordinates emergency medical teams (EMTs).

Ukraine Commitment

WHO Ukraine leads the Health Cluster, coordinates emergency medical teams, supports rehabilitation of damaged health facilities, procures essential medicines and medical supplies, and provides technical guidance to the Ministry of Health; WHO has documented over 2,000 attacks on health care in Ukraine since February 2022.