A group of Ukrainian doctors working in the Irish healthcare system have collectively established ‘Medical Help Ukraine’, an initiative to urgently deliver medical aid from Ireland to support the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Working together, consultants, GPs, fellows and registrars have created the campaign with a view to sending emergency medical supplies and ambulance cars to Ukrainian warzones.
The initiative supported by the Ukrainian Embassy of Ireland, Lifeline Ambulance Services, the HSE, Private Hospitals and Ryanair saw the first delivery of an ambulance and two vans of medical equipment left Ireland on Wednesday 2, March.
These vehicles left Rosslare port at 9pm on Wednesday and will arrive in the Ukraine on Friday, 4 March. The Ukrainian Embassy in Ireland is helping to facilitate the transportation to Ukraine through the Polish border.
Pictured at the Ukrainian Embassy in Dublin in support of the ‘Medical Help Ukraine’ campaign are Iryna Surzhenko, left, Ophthalmology Department at Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, and Nataliya Kononenk with the CIE Medical Department and Martin Hayden SC, trustee of Medical Help Ukraine. ‘Medical Help Ukraine’ is an initiative set up by a group of Ukrainian Doctors working in the Irish Healthcare System to urgently deliver medical aid from Ireland to support the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The initiative will see the first delivery of an ambulance and two vans of medical equipment leave Ireland for the Ukraine on Wednesday 2, March. PHOTO: Mark Stedman
As part of the initiative, the Medical Help Ukraine organizers hope to continue to deliver an ongoing supply of medical equipment and ambulance cars to Ukrainian hospitals in active war zones who are in critical need of emergency supplies.
To achieve this, they are calling on the medical manufacturing community in Ireland to donate suitable equipment where possible.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up where members of the public can make donations to support the cause. [Link here]. The GoFundMe page has raised over €200,000 so far.
The group are also working closely with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and have direct links in multiple Ukrainian hospitals affected by the crisis and will be able to focus on their most pressing needs.
All funds raised will go strictly towards assisting the Ukrainian citizens, who became victims of the conflict, and medical staff in their efforts to heal those wounded.
Commenting on the work that has been carried out, Dr. Alexander Boychak, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, St. Lukes Oncology Network, Mater and Waterford University Hospital, one of the organizers of Medical Help Ukraine said: “On February 24th, Ukrainian cities woke up to a brutal campaign of bombing and violence. Thousands of innocent people have lost their lives, with the numbers injured and fatally wounded set to rise. There is now a humanitarian crisis in our homeland at the gates of the European Union. The number of casualties is rapidly overwhelming the Ukrainian health system. On top of this, attacks on the infrastructure in our country means there are critically low levels of medical supplies, and we want to do our part in helping.
“Ireland suffered great adversity and crises in the past. We are therefore confident that the Irish people understand the urgency of the current situation and the need for solidarity with Ukrainians. We would be grateful for any help that you could offer us in our efforts to organise humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
