US announces $1.7 bn in aid to Ukraine to pay health care workers

Viktor Liashko, Ukraine's minister of health, said paying health workers' salaries is becoming more difficult each month due to the overwhelming burden of war".

ukraine flag
Photo by Yehor Milohrodskyi on Unsplash
AP Washington
2 min read Last Updated : Jul 12 2022 | 7:42 PM IST

Ukraine is getting an additional USD 1.7 billion in assistance from the US government and the World Bank to pay the salaries of its beleaguered health care workers and provide other essential services.

The money coming Tuesday from the US Agency for International Development, the Treasury Department and the World Bank is meant to alleviate the acute budget deficit caused by Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal war of aggression, USAID said in a statement.

While many medical staffers have left Ukraine, some hospitals have shut down and other hospitals have been bombed. The health workers who remain in Ukraine do their jobs under dire circumstances.

Viktor Liashko, Ukraine's minister of health, said paying health workers' salaries is becoming more difficult each month due to the overwhelming burden of war".

USD 1.7 billion is not just yet another financial support; it is an investment that makes us a step closer to victory," Liashko said in a statement.

To date, USAID has given USD 4 billion in budgetary support to the Ukrainian government. These funds have been used for keeping gas and electricity flowing to hospitals and schools, getting humanitarian supplies to citizens and paying the salaries of civil servants and teachers, the organisation said.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power said that as Putin's assault on Ukraine's public services continues, the United States is rushing in with financial support to help the government keep the lights on, provide essential services to innocent citizens and pay the health care workers who are providing lifesaving support on the frontlines".

Last week, the Biden administration said it will send another USD 400 million in military equipment to Ukraine, the 15th package of military weapons and equipment transferred to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks since last August.

This new set of funds will be used for humanitarian purposes.

This aid will help Ukraine's democratic government provide essential services for the people of Ukraine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a written statement.

Yellen said the money would "reach those who need it most at the front lines of Putin's brutal and illegal war."

Overall, the US has sent about USD 7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war began in late February.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Vladimir PutinUkraineUnited Stateshealth careWorld Bank Russia Ukraine ConflictRussia

First Published: Jul 12 2022 | 7:42 PM IST

Next Story