In seven frontline regions of Ukraine—Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kherson—EU-funded primary healthcare outreach teams are delivering essential medical services to 121 communities where pharmacies are no longer operating, healthcare facilities are unavailable, and evacuation remains extremely difficult for local residents. This is the largest primary healthcare intervention currently operating in Ukraine’s frontline areas. Working just 5–60 km from active hostilities, these teams provide access to healthcare for populations that have been effectively cut off from routine medical services due to continuous shelling and severe security restrictions. The initiative is implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Academy of Family Medicine of Ukraine (AFMU), with financial support from the European Union.

Reaching the Most Vulnerable

The outreach primary healthcare teams serve approximately 30,000 of the most vulnerable people living close to the front line. Most patients are older adults and women with children. Women account for more than 70% of all consultations, reflecting the demographic reality of these communities. Around one in ten consultations is provided to a person with a disability, while 13.65% of patients are internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have relocated from other areas but have been unable to move farther from danger. In the village of Mariivka, Zaporizhzhia region, local resident Yuliia Siliutina describes the reality faced by her community: “There is no transport, and the security situation is extremely dangerous. Drones attack cars, civilians, even children. We cannot even call an ambulance because there is no mobile phone coverage. For people here, these outreach teams are one of the very few sources of medical help still available.”

Among the 121 communities served, 61 are located 5–25 km from the front line, 43 are 26–40 km away, and 17 are 41–61 km from active combat. Geographic coverage is continuously adjusted in response to changes in the security situation and shifts in the front line.

The majority of consultations address non-communicable diseases (NCDs), alongside mental health and psychosocial support, management of infectious diseases, and immunization, underscoring the continuing need for comprehensive primary healthcare even during conflict.

A Model for Early Recovery

Unlike many mobile clinic projects designed primarily for short-term emergency response, this initiative also supports early recovery and health system resilience.

The outreach teams are staffed by Ukrainian family doctors and nurses from the existing national healthcare system, many of whom live in neighbouring communities. Beyond providing essential healthcare, the programme helps retain qualified healthcare professionals in frontline areas, ensuring that skilled personnel remain available when recovery and reconstruction begin.

Continuity of care is maintained through integration with Ukraine’s national health system, including follow-up consultations, electronic medical records, and referral pathways to higher levels of care whenever needed.

Close coordination with regional health authorities, local communities, the Health Cluster, and humanitarian partners ensures uninterrupted delivery of primary healthcare services to populations affected by the war.