Voda Dombass, a water company operating in the Donetsk region, was no longer able to distribute drinking water to communities living on either side of the line of contact. The conflict had prevented shipments of water purification chemicals reaching the factory. The number of Hepatitis A infections in the region rose considerably due to the consumption of unsafe water.
Humanitarian Convoys from Switzerland
Following a request for aid, in 2015 Switzerland dispatched three humanitarian convoys carrying the necessary water treatment products. Lorries carrying several tonnes of chemicals successfully crossed the line of contact unhindered. The shipments also contained medical supplies and medication destined for hospitals across the region.
Switzerland became the first and only third state to deliver aid on this scale to communities living on either side of the line of contact. Over three million people benefited from Swiss aid and there was a considerable fall in the number of illnesses caused by the consumption of unsafe water. Another benefit was that these operations bolstered the position of Voda Dombass as a public service provider.