The EAPC have kindly given permission for ehospice to republish their blogs on the impact of the war in Ukraine. The first, originally published on EAPC blog https://eapcnet.wordpress.com/ on March 7th is a post from Kristina Keleman, from Sheptytsky Hospital, Lviv, Ukraine.
‘In November 2019, I was invited to visit and speak at a palliative care conference organised by Sheptytsky Hospital in Lviv, Ukraine. I was welcomed by Kristina and the team with amazingly warmth and hospitality. Their enthusiasm and commitment to providing palliative care with limited resources was incredible. Today, I received this blog from Kristina asking for help from the palliative care community.’
Lviv Sheptytsky Hospital is a small hospital in Western Ukraine. Up until nine days ago the hospital provided primary care services to the local community and also has 35 palliative care beds. Over the last nine days the city has changed from a peaceful, vibrant city to a focal point for refugees fleeing the conflict in the Eastern part of Ukraine.
This full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for nine days now, with Russia forces massively bombing residential areas and civilian infrastructure in cities. Lviv Sheptytsky Hospital Foundation is currently open 24/7, 7 days a week. We are providing medical services to more than 35,000 refugees. Our team of medic’s doctors and nurses are providing the necessary medical care to both adults and children. The Hospital also has a palliative care unit, which is now being actively expanded, as other hospitals are sending palliative patients home en masse in order to increase the number of places for both civilian and military wounded. Some patients have no home to return to, as their family have left Ukraine and have gone to one of the neighbouring countries. Our geographical location, close to the border with Romania and other countries offering support has enabled us to organize a service for the reception and distribution of humanitarian aid. We are helping to meet the needs of Ukrainian hospitals by shipping medicines and the other necessary medical supplies they need.
People ask how they can help us. We need both financial support and supplies. If you can help us, please click here to make contact.
Cover Photo: Sheptytsky Hospital, Lviv, Ukraine.
Links and resources:
- Sheptytsky Hospital website
- Sheptytsky Hospital YouTube
- Sheptytsky Hospital Facebook
- Global Palliative Care Community Statement on the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine
- EAPC Statement on the Ukraine Crisis
- International Committee of the Red Cross
- UNHCR
- Doctors without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
- EAPC 2022 Pre-congress open session ‘Palliative care in a humanitarian crisis’ 17th May 2022 CET 12 noon – 2pm. Register for this open session here.
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