Five first-line hospitals in conflict-affected Donetsk and Luhansk regions, eastern Ukraine, as well as five entry-exit crossing points at the contact line between government and  non-govenrement controlled areas have received much-needed personal protective and medical equipment from IOM with funding from the Government of Japan. The value of donations is over USD 200,000.

“We have chosen crucial equipment which would play a vital role for ensuring public health in the region," said Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, Takashi Kurai.

Medical needs are among the top three reasons making people cross the contact line, according to UN OCHA. As reported by the Head of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Ukraine, Serhii Deineko, almost three million people crossed the  in 2020.

To better equip the crossing points staff for reacting to health emergencies, including life-threatening ones, IOM provided the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine with five defibrillators, 25 resuscitation kits, 25 contactless thermometers and five digital blood pressure monitors.

“This equipment will improve our ability to assist people,” said Deineko.

Medical facilities* serving as primary health care providers for local residents and persons crossing the contact line received modern medical equipment patient monitors, portable oxygen concentrators, electrocardiographs, a biochemical analyzer, a sterilization unit, a binocular microscope, an infusion pump, a Holter monitor, a ventilator for non-invasive and invasive lung ventilation, 150 infrared thermometers, and 10 portable pulse oximeters. IOM also provided personal protective equipment to help protect medical staff and patients from COVID-19 infection: face shields, goggles, FFP2 respirators, masks, gloves, gowns, and biohazard bags.

The assistance provided in coordination with the State Border Guard Service and regional administrations is a part of IOM Ukraine’s COVID-19 response efforts. It builds upon IOM continuous work to support humane and orderly movement of people though the contact line and to assist conflict-affected populations in covering their most pressing needs.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated people’s vulnerabilities and significantly added to the challenges that many medical and social institutions Donetsk and Luhansk regions have had to deal with,” said Anh Nguyen, IOM Ukraine Chief of Mission. “We are grateful to the donors whose generous support allows to continue responding to the needs of conflict-affect populations through humanitarian assistance and protection,” he added.

This is the scond delivery of Covid-related materials to Ukraine's SBGS from Japan back in 2020, Ukraine’s they received personal protective equipment and disinfectant. 

* Mariinka Central District Hospital, Stanytsia Luhanska District Territorial Medical Association, Volnovakha Central District Hospital, Multidisciplinary Hospital of Intensive Care of Bakhmut, Mariupol City Hospital #1.

City of Dispatch: Kyiv