From masks to defibrillators: IOM and Japan provide crucial equipment to hospitals and entry-exit crossing points in Eastern Ukraine

Five first-line hospitals in conflict-affected Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as well as five entry-exit crossing points (EECPs) at the contact line received much-needed equipment from IOM, the UN Migration Agency, funded by the Government of Japan. The total cost of donations is over USD 200,000.

H.E. Mr. Takashi Kurai, Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, highlighted that Japan attaches great importance to assist the people in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and has actively contributed to the projects implemented by IOM and other UN agencies since 2014. “Among other projects supported by Japan, we provide, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, medical equipment to the local hospitals and the EECPs along the contact line. We have chosen much-needed and crucial equipment which would play a vital role for ensuring public health in the regions," said Ambassador Kurai. "Japan stands firm on the position of supporting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will definitely keep this course and cooperate with Ukraine."

To better equip the EECPs staff for reacting to health emergencies, including life-threatening ones, IOM provided 5 defibrillators, 25 resuscitation kits, 25 contactless thermometers and 5 digital blood pressure monitors, with a total worth of USD 51,000, to the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Ukraine.

"In 2020, the SBGS personnel registered almost 3 million people at the entry-exit crossing points," said Serhii Deineko, the Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. "We are grateful to our international partners for their continued valuable support to Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens, especially those who have to cross the contact line. The received medical equipment will improve the EECPs’ ability to assist people," said the Head of the SBGS. He added that previously border guards have also received much-needed personal protective equipment and disinfectants, provided by IOM and funded by Japan.

Medical facilities* serving as primary health care providers for conflict-affected population and persons crossing the contact line received modern medical equipment as requested by them: 3 patient monitors, 2 portable oxygen concentrators, 2 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: 2,280 face shields, 2,950 FFP2 respirators, 93,000 pairs of surgical gloves, 41,200 pairs of examination gloves, 24,200 surgical masks, 14,400 surgical gowns, 270 protective goggles, and 1,700 biohazard bags. The total worth of assistance to the medical institutions is USD 152,000.

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.

Medical needs are among the top-three reasons making people cross the contact line, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).

* 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.