By Emma Farge

GENEVA, (Reuters) – The European Chief of the World Health Organization said Tuesday that Ukraine had lost at least 3,000 lives since February’s Russian invasion. This was because people couldn’t access treatment for their chronic illnesses.

Hans Kluge, a senior U.N. agency official, told Hans Kluge that so far there have been 200 attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities.

He said, “Forty percent” in a speech that referred to diseases like HIV/AIDS.

Matilda Bogner (head of U.N. rights monitor mission for Ukraine) stated that she has seen the mortality rate rise due to lack of care.

She stated that the right to health had been “severely affected” in all parts of the country. Ten older persons died from unsafe conditions in Yahidne’s school basement, according to a separate briefing.

WHO officials stated last week that they are gathering evidence to investigate possible war crimes allegations against Russia in relation to attacks it claims it documented. Moscow denied any previous allegations by Ukraine or other Western countries of war crimes, as well as denying that the war targeted civilians.

The WHO meeting was held in Copenhagen, attended by many virtually, and members adopted a resolution which could lead to the closing of Russia’s Regional Office and suspension of all meetings.

Andrey Plutnitsky (Russian envoy) opposed the resolution, saying he was “extremely dissatisfied”.

Some people have criticized the WHO’s measures as not going far enough. “Shutting down Russia’s European hub is a mild and meek move. Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown Law professor in Washington, D.C., was referring to the WHO closely.

Reuters was told by diplomats that they have stopped trying to suspend Russia in the WHO executive committee due to legal technicalities. However, members may later seek to block Russia’s voting rights.

Moscow claims that its actions in Ukraine on Feb. 24 were a special military operation to disarm Ukraine and expel what it calls anti-Russian nationalism, fomented by West. According to the West, Russia began an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.