Supplies totalling more than £1M already sent
A Devon based organisation is currently planning a fourth convey of urgently needed medical supplies to Ukraine. To date, World Extreme Medicine has provided more than £1.1M of medical training and life-saving supplies to the war torn country.
The initiative, known as Medics4Ukraine, was set up by World Extreme Medicine founder Mark Hannaford earlier in the year in response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
The first convoy arrived in Ukraine in April to deliver trauma kits and hard-to-obtain medical supplies as an act of solidarity with medics dealing with an ever-growing number of casualties.
But it didn’t stop there, and to date, there have been two further convoys delivering medical supplies in excess of £1.1M – not including the value of the upcoming convoy.
Supplies include trauma kits, defibrillators, field dressings, compression bandages and tourniquets, chest seals, ventilators and combat stretchers for use on the frontline in field hospitals. The organisation is also providing crucial training to Ukrainian medics.
‘Preparation for the fourth Medics4Ukraine convoy is in full swing and will be setting off shortly,’ says Mark.
‘Our highly experienced team aims to provide training for a further 300 plus soldiers and combat medics, and we will be delivering medication to several hospitals.’
Training medics in Ukraine
For this latest mission, a World Extreme Medicine training team headed up by Manchester-based paramedic Luca Alfatti will be training Special Operations medics in two key areas of Ukraine.
‘The people of Ukraine are continuing to battle the Goliath on their doorstep, something they are doing with surprisingly good humour and a resolute outlook,’ adds Mark.
‘With our convoys we are taking an A-team approach – fast, effective and targeted – to provide support to those at the very heart of the fighting who are dealing every day with injuries caused by indiscriminate bombing – such as at the shopping centre in Kremenchuk when at least 20 died and dozens were injured.’
As part of the next mission, Mark is joining internationally renowned photographer Perou whose pictures will document the situation at a military and a paediatric hospital, highlighting the injuries sustained by soldiers and civilians including children.
‘Farmers, cooks, policemen and programmers – their lives, families and their well-mapped futures derailed by an unprovoked invasion – gathered to share their experiences with the Medics4Ukraine team, honouring us by allowing our training team to refresh their battlefield medicine skills before their deployment to the frontline,’ says Perou recounting his experience on a previous convoy.
World Extreme Medicine has drawn on the experience of its previous convoys to Syria and Myanmar to ensure the Ukraine convoys deliver exactly what is needed, where it is needed.
Fundraising for much needed medical supplies
Medical aid has either been donated by supporters or purchased through fundraising – which has now reached almost £60,000.
All of these funds are used to purchase much-needed medical supplies. World Extreme Medicine underwrites all transport costs.
‘Everything we’ve achieved so far has been made possible with the backing of our local Ukrainian supporters, donors and generous partners,’ adds Mark.
‘We know so many people have been open-handed already, we can only ask them to dig deep once again to help us deliver these critical supplies.’
World Extreme Medicine is the world’s leading provider of education, conferences, consultancy, and medical cover in extreme medicine.
Every year it helps thousands of medical and healthcare workers push the boundaries of their abilities and enables them to thrive and deliver in remote, austere, and hostile environments.
World Extreme Medicine was born out of expeditions over 25 years ago, and whilst it has changed and grown, it continues to lead the way in outstanding and inspirational expedition medicine training.
Alongside training, it also offers extensive consultancy and medical support for projects across the globe.
Photography: Perou. Images supplied courtesy of World Extreme Medicine.
Main Featured Image: Luca Alfatti with supplies. Photography credit: Perou. Images supplied courtesy of World Extreme Medicine.