“Doctors Without Borders”: In Donetsk Oblast, the number of emergency medical assistance requests has increased by 30% over the past six months

From January to July 2024, the organization “Doctors Without Borders” (MSF) recorded a substantial increase in requests for emergency medical assistance in Donetsk. MSF ambulances transported over 8,000 patients from hospitals near the front line to medical facilities in Ukraine. This represents a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Main Types of Injuries and the Need for Intensive Care Ambulances

The organization provides transportation for patients with burns, blast injuries, and other trauma related to combat operations. Currently, MSF has 17 ambulances, five of which are equipped with intensive care medical equipment, and three can transport multiple patients simultaneously. More than 15% of patients transported this year required specialized transport in intensive care ambulances. Among them were 38 children, the youngest of whom was only three days old.

Specialized Equipment for Transportation

MSF’s Deputy Medical Coordinator in Ukraine, Maksym Zharikov, notes that some patients require specialized equipment, such as ventilators and oxygen, for transportation. Sixty percent of patients have war-related injuries, such as head injuries, burns, multiple fractures, and internal organ damage.

Complex Cases and the Need for Specialized Hospitals

For example, on August 6, the MSF team transported a 45-year-old man with 90% of his body burned, including internal organs, as a result of shelling. Such cases require specialized medical care, which is often available only in hospitals located far from the combat zones.

Impact of Shelling on Medical Infrastructure

Christopher Stokes, MSF’s Emergency Coordinator in Ukraine, emphasizes that continuous shelling and destruction of medical facilities increase the pressure on remaining hospitals, leaving more people without access to necessary medical care. MSF ambulances cover up to 120,000 km each month. Among the transported patients were 136 children, 38 of whom required resuscitation. The youngest patient was three days old, and the oldest was 98 years old.

MSF’s Activities in Ukraine

“Doctors Without Borders” began its activities in Ukraine in 1999 and continues to provide assistance in wartime, responding to the population’s needs and delivering medical care under the most challenging conditions.