How are we supporting hospitals in Ukraine?
From the Netherlands, we are in direct contact with various hospitals. We are supplying resources to the Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital in Lviv, where there is a close-knit distribution network for onward delivery to other hospitals, mental health institutions and mother & child clinics in Ukraine. There are no intermediate links and no overhead costs.
A complex and stressful undertaking
The Healthcare4Ukraine Foundation is an initiative of PGGM and Vereniging Samenwerkende Algemene Ziekenhuizen (SAZ) [Cooperating General Hospitals]. The goal is to raise money to distribute medicines and medical supplies to Ukraine. The Healthcare4Ukraine Foundation complies with all the prevailing laws and regulations and has all the necessary permits – among other things, through collaboration with the IDA Foundation, which provides medication to developing countries as a social enterprise.
The logistics are also complex, which is why Healthcare4Ukraine is working closely with professional parties that are skilled in storage and transport. The medical supplies are collected at a central storage point. From there, the supplies and medicines are transported to the hospital in Lviv and then distributed to the other hospitals in Ukraine. Many trucks filled with medication and relief supplies have already been sent to Lviv.
A truck with medicines and medical supplies costs around € 250,000.
Many of the medical supplies are being donated by hospitals but the medicines must be purchased separately.
A unique collaboration
The initiative of the Healthcare4Ukraine foundation is unique because we are the only organisation in the Netherlands that complies with all the regulations and necessary permits for the supply of medication. In this way, we are directly offering crucial and life-saving support to hospitals and mental health institutions and mother & child clinics in Ukraine. We are supported in this by the Dutch Coordination Point for Medicines (Landelijk Coördinatiepunt Geneesmiddelen).
The Dutch Association of Hospitals (NVZ) and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) are also supporting this initiative. The Dutch Embassy in Ukraine is testing the legitimacy of all local contact persons in hospitals/care organisations that have registered with us for support.
PFZW wholeheartedly supports the collaboration and activities of SAZ.