WHO: 500,000 Ukrainian refugees in need of mental health services

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated on Tuesday that at least 500,000 of the 2.1 million Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Poland in recent weeks are in need of mental health care. Of these, some 30,000 suffer from severe mental illness and require immediate psychological and psychiatric support, the agency warned.

Mental health and psychosocial support services are urgently needed to help people in #Ukraine cope with the effects of the war. @WHO coordinates global efforts to address #mentalhealth needs in the country, provides guidance and tools to the affected populations. pic.twitter.com/SDoXGjIiIL

— WHO Ukraine (@WHOUkraine) March 22, 2022

"What we see most are refugees arriving at the border dehydrated, decompensated, with mental health problems, a strong emotional burden… but also cases of people with fever, pneumonia or diarrhea," WHO representative Paloma Cuchi told ABC.

Upon arrival in Poland, many of the refugees show the after-effects of journeys that, in many cases, have lasted several days. This involves coping with cold conditions, poor nutrition, a lack of hydration as well as poor hygiene.

"Refugees arrive after very difficult and dangerous journeys, children have traveled for two or three days and elderly people have not taken their medicines for days, which can lead to complications from diabetes, hypertension and other conditions," added the WHO representative, EFE reported.

Cuchi also stressed that the WHO is analyzing scenarios that could involve "a massive number of people arriving in Poland at the same time if the situation (in Ukraine) worsens rapidly."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine would also lead to a rapid increase in demand for essential health services and medicines, particularly for diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis or chronic diseases, she said. 

The UN confirmed Tuesday that more than 3 million 500,000 people have fled the war in Ukraine, the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, and that most of them are women and children.

"We fled when the shelling started, that's why we decided to leave our home. Missiles exploded half a kilometer from where we were. It was very scary, so we decided to leave our house. I left my husband at home alone," said a woman fleeing the Russian invasion, AP reported.

Poland tops the list of host countries, followed by Romania and Moldova.