Aid Workers Encounter Courage, Damage, Dislocation and Resilience in War-Torn Ukraine — Global Issues
Stanford, Aug. 9 (IPS) – During Todd Bernhardt’s visit to Ukraine’s conflict zones, he experienced untold damage to hospitals, healthcare clinics, and communities. . The Senior Director of Global Communications at the International Medical Corps also encountered immense courage.
During one of her visits, Bernhardt met with Dr Svetlana Alexandrova, Medical Director of the Psychoneurological Hospital in Chernihiv, a city about two hours northeast of Kyiv, which has seen vicious skirmishes. paralyzed in the early weeks of the invasion.
He said Alexandrova was a challenging and committed leader who wasn’t afraid to confront Russian soldiers and ask them to stop destroying the hospital, which treats critically ill patients. Hospital staff proudly told Bernhardt that as the soldiers prepared to retreat, they told staff they had a “difficult boss.”
“The patients at this hospital have developmental, mental and physical health challenges that require hospitalization. In some cases, they are quite old and weak. And during this time, they have to take shelter in the basement of the hospital — a damp and dark place where you wouldn’t want to live,” Bernhardt said. He described how hundreds of patients with 30-40 staff members were trapped in the basement during the Russian bombardment.
They had to stay in this basement for 40 days and 40 nights without water, heat and electricity. Staff members occasionally go out and forage for food during lulls in combat. For fear of being shot, they would cook over a bonfire during the day while being kept under wraps.
International Medical Corps’ The relationship with Ukraine dates back to 1999 when the country provided medical training for doctors and medical supplies and equipment. Today International Medical Corps operates centers in seven Ukrainian cities — Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Stryi and Vinnytsia — providing relief and training services across the country.
The mission of the International Medical Corps is primarily to be a first responder. A key part of its approach is working within an existing health system, supporting it and strengthening it. It also supplies medicine or medical equipment, trains doctors, staff, clinicians, and builds water and sanitation systems.
“We are first responders. We go in, respond to disasters and stay behind to help strengthen existing systems, to ensure that communities are kept stronger than when we first arrived,” Bernhardt said, elaborating. about the mission of the International Medical Corps.
During the Russo-Ukrainian War, the International Medical Corps so far helped 122 hospitals, providing more than 136,000 water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and non-food items (NFI), providing 53,661 health services for health facilities, providing 46,592 health. counseling and training psychological first aid for 914 people.
“We are trying to provide services to support the most vulnerable populations who suffer during the conflict. It could be children. That could mean the elderly. That could mean disabled people. It specifically, unfortunately, means women and girls. We are doing our best to ensure these vulnerable populations receive the services they need. And, of course, we’re doing everything we can to make sure we prevent that kind of violence from happening in the first place,” Bernhardt said.
Another organization working in war zones is World Food Program (WFP). It focuses on disrupted commercial food supply chains that provide food, supporting people with cash so people can make their own choices when it comes to food, stabilizing and restoring institutions and services. public as well as private.
In June, they supported 2.6 million people in Ukraine through the distribution of food or cash in places where markets were operating. Since March, WFP has transferred more than US$200 million in cash and cash vouchers to vulnerable Ukrainians. Fifty-five million US dollars of this was provided in July to nearly 800,000 people. Internally displaced people receive US$75 each for up to three people per family.
WFP has also helped more than 115.5 million people in more than 120 countries and territories. They were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work in ending hunger.
“At the moment, one in three households in Ukraine is food insecure, and the existing systems in Ukraine that feed tens of millions of people are disintegrating. Our goal is to end this conflict. Our job as humanitarians is to feed people and save lives. We stand ready to stay there for as long as necessary to support the people and most vulnerable people in Ukraine,” said Kyle Wilkinson, WFP Communications Director.
Kerri Murray, President of ShelterBox, was part of the organization’s first team in Kraków, Poland. ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and supplies needed to set up households, such as temporary shelters, mattresses, blankets, water filters, tools, solar lanterns and supplies toilet.
The Ukraine war has displaced nearly 6.5 million people internally, and ShelterBox focuses on projects that meet the needs of internally displaced people. It also has a project that is helping refugees flee to Moldova, which receives the most refugees per capita of any European country.
ShelterBox has provided cleaning kits to displaced families – mainly women, children, the elderly and the disabled. During this displacement crisis, it also provides cash to families fleeing Ukraine to Moldova to buy food, prescription drugs and essentials.
ShelterBox has supported tens of thousands of people in Ukraine and hundreds of families in Moldova.
“Rapidly delivering this response in Ukraine is challenging, noting that securing a supply chain and delivering aid to the country is very difficult,” said Murray. “But we’re fully committed to helping these families.”
As the crisis flared and intensified, the Red Cross supported more than 15 million people in Ukraine and surrounding countries. By collaborating with several groups, such as International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the National Association of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Red Cross have helped the injured receive medical care and training in first aid in Ukraine. Red Cross also had a cash voucher support program.
“More than 700 ICRC employees are working at 10 locations across Ukraine delivering relief supplies to displaced people from their homes, delivering medicines and supplies to healthcare facilities, restoring water for millions and other lifesaving activities,” said Susan Malandrino, Head of Communications at American Red Cross. “For its part, the American Red Cross has contributed more than US$50 million to Ukraine crisis relief efforts and an additional US$7.5 million to partners on the ground to provide meals. and medical supplies in Ukraine.”
Malandrino recalls how a colleague on the construction site met two young brothers from Kyiv, 15-year-old Artem and 10-year-old Maksim. When the fight begins, Artem and Maksim are attending a hockey tournament.
They are currently living in one of the Red Cross shelters.
“When they were here, they played hockey to relieve their stress because the missing family was left behind in Ukraine. Artem says he talks to his dad and grandma on a daily basis and remembers to walk his dogs, including his favorite little highland terrier,” Malandrino explains.
The Hungarian Red Cross ensures that each room has a small refrigerator, private bathroom, clean and fresh linens, and provides nutritious meals from its restaurant.
“Thanks to the support of the Red Cross, Artem and Maksim have a comfortable place to stay and for a few moments a day, play hockey and just be kids.”
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