Background We examined the human toll and subsequent humanitarian crisis resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022. Method We extracted and analysed data resulting from Russian military attacks on Ukrainians between 24 February and 4 August 2022. The data tracked direct deaths and injuries, damage to healthcare infrastructure and the impact on health, the destruction of residences, infrastructure, communication systems, and utility services – all of which disrupted the lives of Ukrainians. Results As of 4 August 2022, 5552 civilians were killed outright and 8513 injured in Ukraine as a result of Russian attacks. Local officials estimate as many as 24 328 people were also killed in mass atrocities, with Mariupol being the largest (n=22 000) such example. Aside from wide swaths of homes, schools, roads, and bridges destroyed, hospitals and health facilities from 21 cities across Ukraine came under attack. The disruption to water, gas, electricity, and internet services also extended to affect supplies of medications and other supplies owing to destroyed facilities or production that ceased due to the war. The data also show that Ukraine saw an increase in cases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Coronavirus (COVID-19). Conclusions The 2022 Russia-Ukraine War not only resulted in deaths and injuries but also impacted the lives and safety of Ukrainians through destruction of healthcare facilities and disrupted delivery of healthcare and supplies. The war is an ongoing humanitarian crisis given the continuing destruction of infrastructure and services that directly impact the well-being of human lives. The devastation, trauma and human cost of war will impact generations of Ukrainians to come.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that affects nearly 3.9 billion people globally. Dengue remains endemic in Malaysia since its outbreak in the 1980’s, with its highest concentration of cases in the state of Selangor. Predictors of dengue fever outbreaks could provide timely information for health officials to implement preventative actions. In this study, five districts in Selangor, Malaysia, that demonstrated the highest incidence of dengue fever from 2013 to 2017 were evaluated for the best machine learning model to predict Dengue outbreaks. Climate variables such as temperature, wind speed, humidity and rainfall were used in each model. Based on results, the SVM (linear kernel) exhibited the best prediction performance (Accuracy = 70%, Sensitivity = 14%, Specificity = 95%, Precision = 56%). However, the sensitivity for SVM (linear) for the testing sample increased up to 63.54% compared to 14.4% for imbalanced data (original data). The week-of-the-year was the most important predictor in the SVM model. This study exemplifies that machine learning has respectable potential for the prediction of dengue outbreaks. Future research should consider boosting, or using, nature inspired algorithms to develop a dengue prediction model.

Research indicates that excessive use of social media can be related to depression and anxiety. This study conducted a systematic review of social media and mental health, focusing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Based on inclusion criteria from the systematic review, a meta-analysis was conducted to explore and summarize studies from the empirical literature on the relationship between social media and mental health. Using PRISMA guidelines on PubMed and Google Scholar, a literature search from January 2010 to June 2020 was conducted to identify studies addressing the relationship between social media sites and mental health. Of the 39 studies identified, 20 were included in the meta-analysis. Results indicate that while social media can create a sense of community for the user, excessive and increased use of social media, particularly among those who are vulnerable, is correlated with depression and other mental health disorders.

War inevitably brings enormous damage and disruption to health care systems.^1-7 Before the war, Ukraine had 3 tiers of hospital system: primary hospital units, which include health posts, health centers, and primary hospitals; secondary care provided by general hospitals; and tertiary care served by specialized referral hospitals. Once part of the Soviet Union, Ukraine’s hospital system was deeply rooted in the Soviet regime when the country gained independence in 1991.⁸ Before the full-scale Russian invasion, approximately 720 hospitals were operating in Ukraine. By April 2023, only 450 Ukrainian hospitals were operational. Even before the invasion, the hospital system in Ukraine was already struggling with a shortage of health professionals, inadequate funding, and outdated infrastructure resulting in strains on the provisioning of essential services.⁹ Since the full-scale Russian invasion in February of 2022, these issues have been exacerbated as Ukrainian hospitals grapple with an unprecedented influx of patients (including millions of injured and displaced peoples), the loss of health professionals, shortages of medical supplies, and the destruction of infrastructure, including hospital facilities.¹⁰ According to the Ministry of Health, Ukraine, from February 2022 to August 2023, medical facilities were damaged and ruined, including health care assets such as hospital transport, personnel, patients, supplies, and warehouses.¹⁰ As of December 2023, hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities had been attacked and damaged an estimated 661 times with additional assaults on other health facilities such as pharmacies, blood centers, dental clinics, and research institutions.^11,12