UKRAINE CONFILCT
Our team is now in Mukachevo, western Ukraine. Our many bags of trauma supplies have been loaded into a van and are on the way to the front lines in Bekhmut where there are raging battles with many injuries of Ukrainians and Russians.
We have delivered critical orthopedic equipment to a trauma surgeon here. He is a pediatric trauma surgeon with experience in complex ortho surgeries. He continues as Chief of the Children’s Regional Hospital and volunteers at the military hospital. 90% of the people treated are civilian “military”. They are mostly treating limb injuries because chest and head injuries do not usually survive. The ortho equipment is limb saving and allows for complex treatment of soft tissue and burns. Today we will be going to the hospital. We have been told there is an American NGO sending prosthetics to Ukraine and it is near this town. We will find out more about this and try to visit. This service is critical for these amputees.
The town of Mukachevo seems peaceful. We did see a number of military persons walking around and many Ukrainian flags flying. But there are no battles; people are seemingly going about their normal activities. There have been no air raids since we have been here but a few days before we arrived there were three. We have just learned that we cannot drink the tap water anywhere in Ukraine. Have not figured out exactly why yet.
Back in Ukraine with Valerie Hellerman and the Hands on Global team.
