AMERICARES DELIVERS MEDICINE AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO UKRAINE
Since the war in Ukraine catapulted the region into a major humanitarian crisis two years ago, Americares has provided more than 500 tons of medicines and medical supplies and $5.3 million in emergency funding to protect the health of the most vulnerable survivors. Americares support includes specialty medicines and medical supplies to treat people with complex medical needs, including cancer patients, children and older adults.
Health services are one of the most pressing needs: The World Health Organization has recorded more than 1,500 attacks on Ukraine’s health-care system since the Russian invasion in February 2022, leaving the Ukrainian health infrastructure decimated. Americares is helping the people most in need of humanitarian aid in Ukraine access medicine and vital health services, including mental health support. To accomplish this, Americares partners with local organizations in Ukraine, providing technical support, training, emergency funding and deliveries of medicine and medical supplies.
Americares response includes over 500 tons of medicine and medical supplies delivered to Ukraine, including enough medicine to fill more than 5 million prescriptions; assistance to 83 partner organizations in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine; $5.3 million in emergency funding to 62 organizations; and support for 30 volunteer medical team trips to Poland, Romania and Ukraine with more than $4.5 million worth of donated medicines and medical products.
Of the 117 grants awarded, more than one-third have funded mental health support such as psychological first aid, peer support, socio-emotional learning, structured community-based recreational and psychosocial activities, as well as individual and group counseling. Americares is also developing resources in Ukrainian and has delivered capacity-building training for over 350 health-care and front line workers on psychological first aid and other topics relevant to mental health.
An Americares response team based in Krakow, Poland, is leading the response efforts with support from staff based in the United States. Staff experts in humanitarian aid, public health, logistics, psychology and emergency mental health are engaged in the response.
Donations to Americares Ukraine Response Fund will support the organization’s response to the emergency. To donate, visit americares.org/Ukraine.