Ukrainian-American physicians are organizing war relief efforts — here’s what they need

Accessible health care grows more necessary by the day in Ukraine as war continues to ravage the country, impacting the most vulnerable and crippling existing health infrastructure.

Ukrainian-American physicians Sophia Korovaichuk, MD, a hospitalist at Northwestern Medicine, and Vitaliy Y. Poylin, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, have used their resources and connections to support people in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries. They discussed their efforts with Healio and provided information on how other physicians in the U.S. can contribute to restoring health care in the war-torn country.

When the war first started, Korovaichuk, who was born in western Ukraine, started amassing monetary and supply donations through stories on her personal Instagram account. She has since involved other physicians at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and sent shipments of humanitarian supplies like diapers, hygiene products, clothing, tents, sleeping bags, mattress pads and food to Ukraine. Korovaichuk has broadened the scope of her reach and received numerous donations from other hospitals via a GoFundMe page.

Poylin, who was born and raised in Ukraine, began traveling back to the country a few years ago to work in hospitals. While based in the U.S., Poylin has used his connections in Ukraine to send medical supplies through the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA), as he communicates with contacts in the country to assess what is most needed.

UMANA has chapters in several states in the U.S. The organization originally focused on educating and assisting Ukrainian physicians, according to Olga Maihutiak, MD, a co-chair of the humanitarian aid committee at UMANA Illinois. Since day 2 of the war, UMANA, and the Illinois chapter in particular, has transitioned its work to humanitarian medical relief for Ukraine.

Essential supplies

Medical supplies that are most needed in Ukraine include wound vacuum-assisted closures (VACs), which are “extremely difficult to get because they, like medications, expire,” Korovaichuk said.

“Central line kits, tourniquets and basic trauma supplies have been very challenging to obtain,” she said. “Prescription medications, which include IV antibiotics, insulin and different IV medications to help support circulatory functions, are very much needed, according to physicians who we’ve communicated with over in Ukraine.”

Ultrasound equipment and portable EKG machines are also needed, she added.

Poylin and Maihutiak reiterated the urgent demand for VAC machines.

“Every single hospital and every single town need them,” Poylin said.

First aid kits, antibiotics and anticoagulants are also in high demand, he added. Poylin has been collecting medical supplies like suturing materials, stapling materials and energy devices to ship to his contacts in Ukraine.

Poylin and UMANA have also been connecting with pharmaceutical organizations in Europe to send donated medications to Poland and Ukraine.

“A lot of the stuff we are sending is technically expired. However, a lot of supplies, especially medical supplies, will expire in the U.S. but they don’t expire anywhere else in the world,” Poylin said. “That is why we are able to get a lot of supplies at a reasonable price.”

Essential health care workers

Orthopedic and trauma surgeons in Ukraine are among those who are likely feeling the most strain right now, Korovaichuk said.

In the long term, general practice physicians “will be dealing with the aftermath and the deleterious medical effects of a patient population that wasn’t able to get normal care,” she added.

While supplies are the top priority currently, manpower may be essential in the coming months.

“I think we're going to be sending out calls in the near future to help refugees,” Poylin said. “And the reality is that they aren’t going to need me as a surgeon, they are going to need primary care physicians, obstetricians, pediatricians, etc. I think that’s going to be coming.”

American physicians are not legally allowed to practice medicine in Poland, Maihutiak told Healio. However, physicians and others can travel to Poland as volunteers.

Currently, though, contacts in Poland have told UMANA that they have enough physicians. Health care providers who are looking to assist those in Ukraine and Poland can “spread the word about what is happening,” Maihutiak said. “What the Russian army is doing to Ukrainian people is inhumane and barbaric.”

UMANA

Monetary and supply donations for Ukraine may be sent to UMANA, according to Maihutiak. Using their contacts in Ukraine, the organization ships all supplies to Poland via a commercial flight. The supplies are then transferred to accessible areas in Ukraine.

Already, UMANA has transported 150 tons of medical supplies and one ambulance to Poland, Maihutiak said.

UMANA also recently purchased $70,000 worth of necessary medications to be sent to Poland in order to reach those in Ukraine.

“Poland has done an incredible job in organizing everything,” Maihutiak said.

She recently traveled to Poland with other UMANA workers to speak with refugees and see the border crossing.

After reaching Poland, refugees must decide whether they will stay in Poland or move to another country. The problem with Poland is that “it doesn’t have unlimited capacity, and a lot of people don’t want to go further to different countries because they are hoping that they are going to go home very soon,” Maihutiak said.

Visit UMANA.org for more information about how to support their efforts in Poland and Ukraine.