May 24, 2022 – According to the World Health Organization, 248 attacks on healthcare facilities/infrastructure were recorded in Ukraine as of May 23. The attacks took place from February 24 to May 19, killing 75 people and injuring 59 others.
Photo sent by our partner Step-In of a destroyed hospital in Ukraine.
May 13, 2022 – Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have taken a massive toll on civilian infrastructure. Heart to Heart International sent members of our Disaster Response team to Slovakia and Ukraine to meet with partners to determine all the medical needs and coordinate the logistics on getting the aid to Ukraine.
April 26, 2022 –
“At least 15.7 million people in Ukraine are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection…over five million people fled Ukraine to seek safety in other countries and another 7.1 million have been internally displaced across the country.”
– United Nations Assistant Secretary-General.
As of April 7, the World Health Organization reported more than 100 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since the start of the war in February. The attacks so far have claimed 73 lives and injured 51. Of the current total of 103 attacks, 89 have impacted health facilities and 13 have impacted transport, including ambulances. WHO reports that supply chains have been severely disrupted. Many distributors are not operational, some stockpiles are inaccessible due to military operations, medicine supplies are running low, and hospitals are struggling to provide care to the sick and wounded.
Heart to Heart International is responding to this healthcare crisis with shipments of medical supplies and medical aid. Next week $15 million in aid will arrive in Slovakia for The Gorta Group to transport into Ukraine to the Ministry of Health. These supplies and medications will help restock pharmacies, hospitals and clinics.
HHI is also partnering with Worksite Labs and Clinic in a Can to deliver three modular medical clinics to Ukraine. The Gorta Group will also transport these into the country as directed by the Ministry of Health. These clinics will help support the incredibly damaged healthcare infrastructure within Ukraine.
April 1, 2022 – The Ministry of Health of Ukraine shared photos of the 52 pallets of critical medicines Heart to Heart International sent with HOPE worldwide that were delivered to Ukraine on March 28. The medicines and supplies are being distributed to hospitals and clinics around the country.
According to Deputy Health Minister Oleksiy Yaremenko, “this is one of the largest medical humanitarian cargoes that have arrived in Ukraine since the Russian invasion.“
Heart to Heart International continues to work with partners throughout Europe and the United States to get life-saving medicines and medical supplies into Ukraine to help the people impacted by this crisis.
Medical Aid Shipments
- 100 pallets of medicines and medical supplies will be delivered to The Gorta Group and will be distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout Ukraine.
- Working with The Gorta Group, HHI will be sending multiple Clinic in a Cans (durable mobile medical clinics that provide a space for health care) to be set up in Ukraine in areas of medical need.
- 52 pallets of medicines and medical supplies were transported by Hope worldwide into Ukraine to the Ministry of Health and are being distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout Ukraine.
Hygiene Kit Shipments
- 10,000 hygiene kits to Romania to support Project Hope’s efforts to help Ukrainian refugees and people still in Ukraine.
- 6,750 hygiene kits to support Global Citizens USA’s response to help refugees in Poland.
- 8,100 hygiene kits to support World Emergency Relief’s efforts to help refugees in the countries surrounding Ukraine.
- 6,750 hygiene kits to Poland to support Convoy of Hope’s refugee work.
- 5,000 hygiene kits to support Foundation Emaus’ response to help refugees in the countries surrounding Ukraine.
Friday, March 18, 2022 –
Advance Team in Eastern Europe
- Heart to Heart International’s Advance/Assessment Team is in Poland, meeting with partners to coordinate on-the-ground resources and shipments of aid.
Medical Aid Shipments
- 52 pallets of medicines and medical supplies to be transported by Hope worldwide into Ukraine to the Ministry of Health to be distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout Ukraine.
Hygiene Kit Shipments
- 6,750 hygiene kits to Poland to support Convoy of Hope’s refugee work.
Shipments in Process
- 10,000 hygiene kits to Romania to support Project Hope’s efforts to help Ukrainian refugees and people still in Ukraine.
- 6,750 hygiene kits to support Global Citizens USA’s response to help refugees in Poland.
- 5,000 hygiene kits to support Foundation Emaus’ response to help refugees in the countries surrounding Ukraine.
- 8,100 hygiene kits to support World Emergency Relief’s efforts to help refugees in the countries surrounding Ukraine.
Friday, March 11, 2022 –
Advance Team in Eastern Europe
- Heart to Heart International’s Advance/Assessment Team has been in Romania and Moldova, including border crossing towns of Palanka and Isaccea. The HHI Advance Team has been meeting with partners, assessing conditions and needs, and coordinating on-the-ground aid and shipments of medical and humanitarian aid to partners in multiple countries.
- Through efforts by the HHI team on the ground, HHI will be supporting Open Door Foundation’s work by providing a desperately needed van to transport refugees from border crossings and shelters to airports, bus stations, and other destinations. Open Door Foundation, which typically provides assistance and protected shelter in emergency situations to victims of human trafficking, is now using their expertise and resources to help the refugees coming into Romania from Ukraine.
Medical Aid Shipments
- $20 million (50 pallets) of medicines and medical supplies to Warsaw, Poland. The aid will be transported by Hope Worldwide into Ukraine to the Ministry of Health to be distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout Ukraine.
Hygiene Kit Shipments
- 10,000 hygiene kits to Romania to support Project Hope’s efforts to help Ukranian refugees and people still in Ukraine.
- 6,750 hygiene kits to Poland to support Convoy of Hope’s refugee work.
- 6,750 hygiene kits to support Global Citizens USA’s response to help refugees in the countries surrounding Ukraine.
HHI continues to evaluate and process requests for medicines, medical supplies and hygiene kits from other nonprofit organizations and governmental departments.
Monday, March 7, 2022 – Heart to Heart International’s Advance/Assessment Team arrived safely in Bucharest, Romania, on Sunday, March 6, 2022. The team has been meeting with multiple current partners and potential partners to determine their needs and how HHI can best help in this unfolding crisis. The team will be traveling tomorrow to Isaccea and Tulcea, towns on the border where refugees have been crossing from Ukraine into Romania. The team will be meeting with additional partners there and potentially traveling into Moldova to discern needs of groups working in that country.
HHI has also been fielding requests from eight different organizations requesting medicines, medical supplies, and hygiene kits. These organizations include nonprofits and departments in the Moldovan and Ukranian governments. HHI is evaluating and working to fulfill these requests.
A humanitarian crisis is now unfolding in Ukraine, with Russia attacking airports and military headquarters and troops and tanks rolling into cities in the northeast. Civilians are being forced to flee to escape the fighting and reports of casualties already mounting.
Our hearts are with the 44 million Ukrainian people, including the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have left the country and others who are now internally displaced after fleeing their homes.
“While none of us know exactly what lies ahead, we do know there will be a terrible human price to pay for the conflict,” HHI CEO Kim Carroll said. “Heart to Heart International has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the past, and we will be watching events closely and coordinating with our partners and partner organizations to determine when and how we may provide support to the people of Ukraine.”
Heart to Heart International has a long history of helping the people of Ukraine. In 1994, HHI sent 30 tons of essential supplies and medicines to Ukraine. The “Physicians with Heart” airlift of $6 million worth of medical and humanitarian aid was a joint effort with American Academy of Family Physicians.
That airlift was the first shipment to the country, but not the last. HHI has sent more than 60 shipments of aid to Ukraine in the 28 years since the first shipment, including one in late 2021.
To address the current crisis, HHI’s disaster response team has been coordinating with partners and other organizations to determine the most critical needs and is ready to deliver hygiene kits and medical supplies to those affected by the crisis. HHI is also preparing to deploy an Advance Response Team to the region to assess the needs on the ground and partner with local organizations supporting refugees.
Heart to Heart International’s 1994 airlift to Ukraine:
