The World Health Organization (WHO) handed over 20 all-terrain ambulances to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, capable of operating even in the most damaged and hard-to-reach areas, the WHO press service in Ukraine said Monday.
In addition, WHO has already delivered 393 tonnes of medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine. Of this amount, 167 tonnes have already reached their destination, mostly in the east, south and north of the country.
British-Ukrainian Aid (British-Ukrainian Aid) and volunteers donated two ambulances and medicines to Ukraine.
On April 17, volunteers-citizens of Ukraine and the public organization British-Ukrainian Aid (British-Ukrainian Aid) handed over two ambulances to Ukraine and representatives of the Armed Forces. In addition, medicines were handed over from English friends. Now such cars are one of the most necessary types of transport both at the front and at the rear, because minimizing damage to citizens and timely medical care will save lives.
The organizer of the delivery of cars Valery Polshkov, Alexander Bobylev and the construction company “Liko-Holding”. According to Valeriy Polshkov, prompt delivery of the car from Britain became possible thanks to the joint efforts of volunteers and the well-coordinated work of the state bodies of Ukraine.
“I am grateful to the State Border Service and the State Customs Service for their efficient work. The cars crossed the border in 20 minutes and have already been handed over to representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” V. Polshkov emphasized.
Also, Oleg Chomko and his company “Badzinger Auto” were directly involved in the escort and transfer of cars from Britain to Ukraine.
British-Ukrainian Aid, bringing together the efforts of the UK and Ukraine, offers humanitarian and medical assistance to the wounded, veterans, orphans, the elderly, internally displaced persons, refugees and families who have lost their military breadwinner. All members of the group are volunteers and work on charitable projects after their main work.
The Level I Intensive Care Hospital and the Primary Health Care Center in Horishni Plavni has received two Renault Master ambulances – another consignment of aid from Ferrexpo mining company, whose main production assets are located in this city.
“The total cost of the vehicles is about UAH 3 million. This delivery was carried out as part of the large Ferrexpo assistance program to combat COVID-19,” the company said in a press release.
Mayor of the city Dmytro Bykov thanked for the systematic support provided by the Ferrexpo mining and processing plants (GOK).
“Unfortunately, the statistics of COVID-19 cases are not encouraging with good news, the situation is also complicated by seasonal outbreaks of other viral diseases. We do not stop assistance programs, studying the needs and systematically transferring the necessary equipment, transport, medicines and protective equipment to hospitals,” the director of the charitable foundation of Poltava GOK, Viacheslav Miniazev, said.
In March of this year, the Ferrexpo board of directors decided that the group’s enterprises, including Poltava, Yeristovo and Belanovo GOKs, will allocate $ 2.5 million in assistance to medical institutions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Poltava region, as well as within the framework of national programs throughout the territory Ukraine. It was noted that, first of all, the money will be used for the purchase of artificial lung ventilation devices, test systems for detecting coronavirus and other necessary equipment, and further distribution of assistance will be carried out in accordance with the priority needs of medical institutions.
Ferrexpo is an iron ore company with assets in Ukraine. The London Stock Exchange (LSE) trades the shares of British-based Ferrexpo plc, which owns 100% of the shares of Swiss-based Ferrexpo AG, which, in turn, holds a 100% stake in Poltava GOK, 100% of Yeristovo GOK and 99.9% of Belanovo GOK. Kostiantyn Zhevaho via Fevamotinico S.a.r.l. owns 50.3% of Ferrexpo shares.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has reported that a decision has been taken to allocate about UAH 1 billion for purchase of the ambulances, a government’s press service reported. In a course of a meeting with the employees of Bila Tserkva emergency medical station on May 28, head of the government informed the attendees that the government strived for as soon as possible providing of extra payments in an amount of 300% of salaries to all medical workers, who deal with the patients with COVID-19.
“We have already paid all payments in March, in April payments will go through the NHS (National Health Service of Ukraine) through direct agreements with medical institutions. As of yesterday, almost 90% of transactions were signed, and all 100% of transactions for emergency medicine. Therefore, further payments should be in time,” said Shmyhal.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that by the end of this year the ambulance fleet in the country would be replenished with 500 new ones, and the goal is to ensure that from 2020 there is no such vehicles older than six years.
“Until the end of this year, we will buy 500 ambulances. The task for the next year is not to have a single ambulance vehicle that is older than six years,” he said in a video message to Ukrainians about the success, victories, plans and failures of the authorities over the week recorded during the president’s walk through the streets of Kyiv.
