Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine Tops $2.5 Billion

Direct Relief’s humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine has surpassed $2.5 billion. Medicines and supplies donated by more than 100 pharmaceutical and medical product companies have reached health facilities in every region of the country.

Since February 2022, Direct Relief has delivered 6.4 million pounds of medicines and medical supplies, equivalent to 546.3 million defined daily doses, a standard measure of medicine volume. Prescription medicines account for $2.41 billion of the response total, based on wholesale value. About $651 million worth of medical products required refrigeration throughout the journey, including cancer therapies, insulin and biologic medicines.

These shipments have reached health facilities nationwide through Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, hospitals such as Okhmatdyt and the Lviv Regional Council’s children’s center, and nongovernmental organizations that distribute supplies across the country.

The total also includes more than $75 million in financial commitments to health organizations and institutions in Ukraine and to groups serving displaced Ukrainians. This funding supports surgery, rehabilitation, mental health services, maternal and pediatric care, medical transport, backup power and other essential services.

Direct Relief’s response addresses both immediate and long-term needs: keeping medicines available today while strengthening Ukraine’s capacity to treat injuries and illnesses in the years ahead. Regular deliveries are paired with investments in clinicians, rehabilitation services and health care infrastructure.

That response continues as attacks threaten the medical supply chains on which care depends. Early on Sept. 3, an air attack destroyed one of the World Health Organization’s main warehouses storing humanitarian medical supplies in the Kyiv region.

In a Sept. 4 release, WHO said it had verified 15 attacks in 2026 on warehouses holding health-related supplies. In June, Direct Relief awarded nearly $70,000 to the Christian Medical Association to expand humanitarian warehouse capacity as part of broader investments in medical storage and distribution.

Surgical training expands reconstructive care

Before the war, reconstructive procedures were rarely needed at this volume in Ukraine; Ukrainian surgeons now perform them routinely. Direct Relief’s grants to the Penn Center for Global Health support visiting teams that operate alongside Ukrainian colleagues while providing hands-on training. By the start of 2026, the teams had completed roughly 100 complex cases across seven missions and trained at least 46 surgeons.

At the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv, patients recover from amputations and other severe injuries while clinicians train to provide that care in the decades ahead.

Backup power keeps hospitals operating

Direct Relief has invested more than $12 million in backup power for Ukrainian hospitals, patients and communities.

The total includes more than 2,000 battery storage units, equipment and transportation costs, along with grants that enable Ukrainian partners to purchase equipment directly.

At Kharkiv Regional Clinical Hospital, battery backup supports operating rooms, the maternity ward, intensive care units and the emergency department. At the National Cancer Institute in Kyiv, Direct Relief-supplied batteries maintain lighting in eight operating rooms during grid disruptions.

Addressing lasting needs

Direct Relief supports mental health and psychosocial services for families affected by the war through Razom, as well as trauma-informed training for psychologists and civil defense first responders through Hromada Hub.

A $100,000 grant in July supports the Ukrainian midwives’ association through the International Confederation of Midwives. The work includes preparing providers to deliver babies during air raids and in shelters.

Support also enables FRIDA’s medical missions to frontline communities and care for children living in orphanages. Funding for Charity Fund Modern Village and Town helps expand specialized pediatric services in areas hosting large numbers of internally displaced people. Separate support provides medical transport for children who need access to specialized treatment.

The need will continue long after the fighting ends. Children will require new prosthetics as they grow, and people with severe injuries may need years of rehabilitation. Sustained support for Ukrainian clinicians and institutions will remain essential throughout the recovery.