The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Stamford-based Americares donates medication and funding to Ukraine
STAMFORD — With this week marking the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, locally-based humanitarian agency Americares announced that it has provided more than 500 tons of medicines and medical supplies and $5.3 million in emergency funding “to protect the health of the most vulnerable survivors” in the region.
According to a news release, Americares’ support includes specialty medicines and medical supplies to treat people with complex medical needs, including cancer patients, children and older adults. The agency reported that 40 percent of the country’s population — more than 14 million people —”are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.”
The release states that the World Health Organization has recorded more than 1,500 attacks on Ukraine’s health care system since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
In addition to the medicine and medical supplies and the funding, Americares has provided support for 30 volunteer medical team trips to Poland, Romania and Ukraine with more than $4.5 million worth of donated medicines and medical products.
Of the 117 grants awarded, more than one-third have funded mental health support. Americares is also developing resources in Ukrainian for more than 350 health care and frontline workers on psychological first aid and other topics relevant to mental health.
“The mental health impacts of the war will last years — if not lifetimes — for Ukrainians experiencing constant fear, unimaginable grief and trauma as well as separation from loved ones,” said Adam Keeh, Americares Director of Complex Emergencies, in the release. “We focus heavily on psychosocial support for civilians and displaced populations because we recognize how important mental health is for improving overall health outcomes.”
Americares responds to about 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $22 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.
“Our ability to continue responding quickly and effectively to the ongoing needs of survivors in Ukraine hinges on the generosity of our donors,” said Americares Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer Jenny Goldstein, in the release. “We saw a groundswell of support in the first few months of the war, but as with most long-running emergencies, sustaining that support and momentum is challenging. The health needs continue two years on, so we urge those who are in a position to donate to support Americares response.”
Donations to Americares Ukraine Response Fund will support the organization’s response to the emergency.