A senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Thursday for a "humanitarian ceasefire" in Ukraine and expressed solidarity with health workers in the country.

Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, made the appeal on the World Health Day.

According to WHO Europe, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has significantly harmed Ukraine's ability to provide health care to its citizens.

"The WHO is committed to be in Ukraine in the short and long term...Health requires peace, well-being requires hope, and healing requires time," Kluge said.

He said that the WHO's activities were based around three priorities: to keep Ukraine's health services operational; to collaborate with Ukraine's neighbors in the European region and beyond to ensure that the health needs of those fleeing the conflicts are met; and to assist Ukraine's health authorities in rebuilding the country's health system better.