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 Toronto, November 4, 2009 -The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) today launched an appeal to the Government of Canada, all provinces and territories and Canadians to help the people of Ukraine deal with a serious outbreak of pandemic flu ravaging the country.
In response to an urgent plea from the Government of Ukraine, this Canadian appeal calls for donations of specialized medical supplies to support sick and critically ill Ukrainians across their country. Supplies needed include: antibiotics, sanitizers, masks, syringes, ventilators and basic medical products to assist sick and critically ill Ukrainians. Over 250,000 flu cases have been reported, with over 1,100 children admitted to hospital in the last several days.
"The rapid escalation of the disease has the making of what could be a public health catastrophe," stated Bob Onyschuk Q.C. Chairman of the Canada Ukraine Foundation. "The government of Ukraine has closed all schools and implemented a quarantine in nine oblasts and has issued a call for urgently needed medical supplies."
The appeal is being coordinated with the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada who will ensure rapid distribution of the supplies and support within Ukraine.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones. We cannot stand by and watch this pandemic ravage Ukraine. As Canadians we have an obligation to reach out and help," stated Ukrainian Canadian Congress President Paul Grod. "We ask that the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories designate a portion of foreign assistance funding toward immediate humanitarian medical aide to help Ukraine fight this pandemic. As well, we urge Canadians to generously donate money that can be used to buy medical supplies as soon as possible."
See below for more information about the situation in Ukraine.
Relief Effort Overview
UCC and CUF in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada are coordinating efforts to receive medical supplies and donations of funds for the purchase of medical supplies.
What supplies are needed?
- Antibiotics (Amoxicilin, Cephalexin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Levoquin)
- Hand sanitizers
- Liquid soap
- Masks (surgical or N95)
- Multi-vitamins
- Syringes
- Surgical gloves
- Safety Disposal Boxes
- Surgical Wardrobe
- Ventilators
- Disposable gowns
If you have the ability to raise funds, aggregate medical supplies or to contribute larger quantities of any of these listed supplies please contact Lesia Demkowicz at ucc@ucc.ca or tel: (204) 942-4627.
Go to www.ucc.ca or www.cufoundation.ca. Financial donations will be used to purchase the needed medical supplies and cover transportation costs.
Timelines
Timelines are very short and containers will be shipped from Toronto on the following dates:
- Monday November 9 - First shipment - non-pharmaceutical medical supplies
- Wednesday November 11 - Second shipment - pharmaceutical supplies
- Friday November 13 - Third shipment - all medical supplies
Supplies must be received by the freight forwarder in Toronto no later than noon on the date of the specified shipment. Please contact the UCC for shipping details ucc@ucc.ca or tel: (204) 942-4627.
Labelling
Please ensure that all packages are properly labeled with all the enclosed items documented in detail and attached to the package with a copy emailed to ucc@ucc.ca.
Further information
Details on what is needed and how you can donate or help are available at www.ucc.ca or www.cufoundation.ca or you may contact Lesia Demkowicz at ucc@ucc.ca or tel: (204) 942-4627.
About UCC
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) brings together under one umbrella all the national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organizations throughout Canada. Together with its member organizations the UCC has been leading, coordinating and representing the interests of one of Canada's largest ethnic communities (1.2M) for almost 70 years. About CUF - The Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) is a Canadian NGO with a mandate to lead and coordinate Canadian assistance to Ukraine, including
humanitarian aid, and the development of democracy and civil society in Ukraine.
Request from Government of Ukraine
Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine took a decision to apply to international community with a request for the humanitarian aid. Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine has made an international appeal for the following:
- Vaccines for prevention of pandemic flu for the risk groups (15.3 million doses).
- Machines for artificial lung ventilation including those meant for children and of the higher class for long-term ventilation, transport respirators of the NEWPORT type. Fiberoptic bronchoscopes; anticontagious filters; aspirators; cardiac monitors; pulseoxymetry devices; equipment for the devices; infusion pumps; Oseltamivir; antibiotics; immune correctors; disinfection facilities; protection facilities (glasses, masks, gloves, respirators etc.); test-systems, facilities for virologic laboratories.
- Medicines:
- Tamiflu (90000 packages);
- Tienam (500000 vials);
- Amoxiclav (350000 packages);
- Sulperason (350000 packages);
- Levofloxacin (150000 packages);
- Meropenem (100000 packages);
- Calcemin (10000 packages);
- Oxybate sodium (300000 packages);
- Seduxen (Diazepam) (430000 packages);
- Propofol (3600000 vials);
- Dexamethasone (50000 ampoules);
- Hydrocortisone (IV) (50000 vials);
- Fentalin (1000 ampoules).
 Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Ukraine - update 1
3 November 2009 -- According to the Ministry of Health of the Ukraine, the country has now recorded more than 250,000 cases of influenza-like illness, with 235 patients requiring intensive care. As of 2 November, 70 deaths from acute respiratory illness have been reported.
Regions in western Ukraine continue to show the highest rates of acute respiratory illness/influenza-like illness. The level of activity in the Kyiv area is also increasing rapidly.
Laboratory testing in Ukraine has confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in samples taken from patients in two of the most affected regions. As the pandemic virus has rapidly become the dominant influenza strain worldwide, it can be assumed that most cases of influenza in Ukraine are caused by the H1N1 virus.
As elsewhere, WHO strongly recommends early treatment with the antiviral drugs, oseltamivir or zanamivir, for patients who meet treatment criteria, even in the absence of a positive laboratory test confirming H1N1 infection.
At the request of the government, a multi-disciplinary team of nine experts has been deployed by WHO and arrived in Kyiv yesterday evening. Discussions with the Minister of Health were held this morning to brief the team.
Team members will now begin field investigations to characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of the outbreak. Work will initially begin in Lviv region, where reported numbers of cases showing severe manifestations of acute respiratory illness have been especially high. Two virologists on the team have started working at the National Influenza Centre and the laboratories of the Central Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in Kyiv to provide diagnostic support.
Samples sent by the Ministry of Health were received today by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Mill Hill in London, UK. The laboratory will conduct confirmatory tests and further characterize the virus.
Many questions remain to be answered. The outbreak in Ukraine may be indicative of how the virus can behave in the northern hemisphere during the winter season, particularly in health care settings typically found in Eastern Europe.
Given the potential significance of this outbreak as an early warning signal, WHO commends the government of Ukraine for its transparent reporting and open sharing of samples.
WHO continues to recommend no closing of borders and no restrictions on international travel, including to Ukraine. Experience shows that such measures will not stop further spread of the virus.
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