Access to medical care is difficult for millions of people in Ukraine who suffer from chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, infectious diseases and more. The ongoing crisis has created a variety of barriers to obtain care including cost, transportation and availability of medication. The many attacks on medical facilities have further exacerbated the problems, resulting in more than 150 deaths and hundreds of injuries to medical personnel and patients. Fifteen percent of the country’s healthcare infrastructure has been damaged including hospitals, ambulances, generators, pharmacies and more. International aid organizations and private donors have provided critical support to the government’s health system, bringing in essential supplies, including generators, ambulances, prefabricated emergency care units, trauma kits and medicines; we were proud to be a part of these efforts.
We work closely with the Jewish Medical Center (JMC) in Dnipro, which has been providing treatment to thousands of internally displaced people and those wounded in attacks, as well as their regular patients. Like so many other organizations, JMC is often forced to provide complex medical care in the absence of electricity. We have brought much needed medicine and supplies donated by our partner Americares, as well as supported construction of a new family medicine unit. We also support hospitals in Mykhailivska and Chernobyl, and clinics around the country by supplying vitamins and other critical items.
Unfortunately, Ukraine continues to experience some of the highest rates of HIV, tuberculosis and maternal mortality in Europe. And 10 million people are estimated to be at risk of, or living with, a mental health condition, with almost 4 million people suffering from moderate to severe symptoms. Recently a national mental health program was created in response to the tremendous need for services; we provide extensive mental health and counseling services for children and adults, as well as address their need for spiritual and emotional support.
Thanks to our generous and compassionate donors we continue to help thousands of people in Ukraine; but, we must find a way to do more to ensure medical care is accessible to all in need. Together we save lives and restore hope.
