The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest provides Kryvyi Rih with tests to diagnose COVID-19

Today, 15 April, within the framework of interaction with the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Headquarters combating  coronavirus, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest Group handed over 15,000 tests to medical institutions in Kryvyi Rih in order to detect COVID-19.

"Rinat Akhmetov financed 300 million UAH to combat COVID-19. As it has been personally decided by the Founder, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, makes its contribution to win over the epidemic. We purchased and delivered 300,000 COVID rapid tests to the Ministry of Health as soon as possible. Quick testing of patients with symptoms and their subsequent separation stop the rapid spread of infection. The tests were transferred to the Ministry of Health and distributed among the regions of Ukraine. We have already passed tens of thousands of tests to Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv regions. This week, 30 000 tests have been transferred to Dnipropetrovsk Region. Half of this – 15,000 - has been transferred to Kryvyi Rih," Natalia Yemchenko, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, said.

These 15,000 test systems will be used to detect coronavirus rapidly in public hospitals determined by the Ministry of health of Ukraine. First of all, this is Kryvyi Rih Infectious Diseases Hospital, as well as City Hospitals No. 7, 8 and 11. 

Metinvest believes that the fight against coronavirus requires combining all efforts as selective assistance won't contain the spread of COVID-19.

"Metinvest helps the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation with other SCM assets in all cities where our companies are located. Jointly with the authorities and the community, we determine what equipment is needed and thus transfer personal protective equipment for doctors and law enforcement officers, and help to disinfect the streets of Kryvyi Rih. We understand our responsibility for the lives and health of our employees and their families. We strictly comply with all anti-epidemic requirements at our enterprises in order to protect our employees. It is important not to lose hope and work together in such difficult situation," Dmytro Shevchyk, Director General of Metinvest, said.

In total, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest Group provided Dnipropetrovsk Region with 30 000 rapid tests to detect COVID-19. The first cargo with them has already been delivered to Dnipro and Pavlohrad.

"We express our gratitude to the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest because we have received 15,000 tests today and as of today we can start diagnosing residents and doctors with 10,000 tests purchased from the city budget. This will help to fight this problem that appeared in the world and in Ukraine as well. We are facing a difficult challenge, and only together we can protect the health of our residents. We control the situation, coordinate the work of doctors and law enforcement officers within  the work of the headquarters combating coronavirus. Thanks to the business, we provide personal protective equipment to all services that depend on the fight against COVID-19," Yurii Vilkul, Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, said.

Modern systems will help Kryvyi Rih doctors identify cases of infection effectively, take the necessary measures in a timely manner in order to treat patients and prevent the spread of the disease.

"On behalf of all the doctors, I express my gratitude for your help. 15,000 tests will allow us to start mass screening studies of patients who need it," Konstantyn Murashko, Head of the Health Department of the Kryvyi Rih City Council Executive Committee, said.

On 6 April, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FC Shakhtar transferred 20,000 rapid tests to Kharkiv Region to detect COVID-19. This region was the first to receive part of the batch of 300,000 tests purchased by the Foundation for all Ukrainian regions. The very next day, on 7 April, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest passed on 50,000 rapid tests to Donetsk Region.  15,000 of these were received by the medical staff of Mariupol. Donetsk Region received another 50,000 tests on 13 April.

On 9 April, Zaporizhzhia Region received 30,000 rapid tests from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest. 30,000 rapid tests were sent to  Luhansk Region from the Foundation and DTEK,  Ivano – Frankivsk received another 10,000 rapid tests to, and Lviv Region - 30,000 tests. Jointly with FUIB, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation also transferred special protection equipment to the medical staff of Lviv.

On 14 April, the first 30,000 rapid tests for Dnipropetrovsk Region were transferred in Dnipro and Pavlohrad.

On 15 April, the Foundation transferred over 25,000 tests to medical workers of Kyiv.

Back in February, Rinat Akhmetov was the first in the country who gave directions to the Foundation to respond to the global threat of a coronavirus epidemic. The equipment to effectively treat the complications caused by COVID-19 – the Swedish SERVO-I UNIVERSAL and SERVO AIR high-end ventilators and oxygen concentrators – has already been purchased and transferred to the Ministry of Health. .

In particular, ventilators from the Foundation have been installed in the Poltava Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital, Rivne Central City Hospital and Zakarpattia Regional Hospital. The named hospitals in Poltava and Rivne also have oxygen concentrators for ventilators installed. A separate concentrator from the Foundation was delivered to the Volyn Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital. The number of medical facilities that have already received equipment from the Foundation was determined by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

  The Foundation also purchased personal protective equipment for Ukrainian doctors: EgoZlin biobag EBV – a unique insulating mobile box to transport infectious patients; EOBO-20 EgoZlin – a protective biological and anti-chemical suit with filter and ventilation set; anti-chemical disposable overalls; infrared thermometers with a laser pointer; multilayer respirators;  protective masks and goggles. 

  Another 22 ventilators were installed in neonatal ambulances and transferred by the Foundation to all regions of the country as part of the “200 ambulances for Ukraine” project. 

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is also purchasing coronavirus sample analyzers with test cartridges for them.

In partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation created educational TV-series for teachers (“Quarantine: Online Services for Teachers”) and schoolchildren (“Digital Physical Education for Schoolchildren with Sport Stars”).  The video courses are posted on the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation's Facebook page and Youtube channel.

Jointly with TRK Ukraina, the Foundation created social videos urging older people to comply with the rule of thumb during the quarantine – Stay at Home. The TRK Ukraina TV-presenters and the ambassadors of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation – Ihor Pupkov, Oleh Paniuta, Hryhorii Herman, Oleksii Sukhanov and the famous journalist Savik Shuster – engage in the videos hag tagged #ParentsATHOME.