Connecting rural households with care in Ukraine

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has placed increasing pressure on healthcare services, while distance, poor transport connections and reduced mobility continue to limit access to primary healthcare in rural communities. In the Blyzniuky and Barvinkove areas of Kharkiv Oblast, older people, people with disabilities and those living alone face additional barriers to accessing care and navigating available support.

Supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the HEAL-U project brings together WeWorld, EMERGENCY and Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv, in collaboration with local authorities and public service providers. Its integrated approach combines improved access to primary healthcare, strengthened water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, and cash assistance to help vulnerable households repair damaged homes and improve living conditions.

A key element of this approach is community-based outreach through trained Community Health Workers (CHWs), who connect residents with available services, identify unmet needs and help overcome practical and social barriers to care. HEAL-U highlights the importance of this local capacity in sustaining access to essential services in crisis-affected rural areas. To preserve its contribution beyond the project lifecycle, authorities and aid organisations should support the transition towards paid CHW roles embedded in health and social services, with clearly defined responsibilities, adequate operating resources and interim support where longer-term arrangements are not yet in place.