Doctors in Eastern Ukraine Received 21 Oxygen Concentrators from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FUIB

On 21 December, Mariupol Municipal Hospital No. 9 received six high-class oxygen concentrators from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FUIB. Another 15 concentrators were donated to healthcare facilities of Kurakhove, Volnovakha and Berdiansk. 

‘The list of medical needs is quite extensive. Back in February, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation began to help public hospitals providing doctors with what was needed most of all. The Foundation donated about 200 high-class lung ventilators, 200,000 personal protective equipment kits and consumables, 337,000 express tests and over 1,000 units of medical and laboratory equipment to healthcare professionals. In December, 27 Ukrainian hospitals will also receive 140 oxygen concentrators, said Natalya Yemchenko, a member of the Foundation’s Supervisory Board.

Andriy Vysotskyi, the head of the FUIB regional centre in Mariupol, noted that the healthcare system of the country needs support from businesses and charitable foundations.

‘We consider ourselves responsible for what is happening in the “catchment area” of our business. We also want to support our clients, partners, colleagues and friends. Everyone’s input is meaningful in the fighting COVID-19,’ underlined Andriy Vysotskyi.

Oleksandr Zheleznyak, the chief physician of Mariupol Municipal Hospital No. 9, said that availability of oxygen supply to critically ill patients comes to the fore in treatment of COVID-19 in a hospital:

‘Oxygen contributes to fast recovery, significantly improves the quality of treatment and reduces the number of complications. That is why we are extremely grateful to the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FUIB. These organizations’ tangible input will be seen in every saved life.’

Ksenia Sukhova, the secretary of the Mariupol city council, said that the city approached the fight against the epidemic in a system-based manner.

‘A clear algorithm of actions was developed in Mariupol, which is designed to prevent the spread of the disease. The support of socially responsible businesses helps us in this. Thanks to the consolidated efforts, the situation in the city remains stable and under control. I am sure that by joining our efforts, we will cope with this challenge,’ said Ksenia Sukhova.

Oxygen concentrators are vital equipment for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FUIB provide doctors with 10-litre KSOC-5 oxygen concentrators manufactured by Jiangsu Konsung Bio-Medical Science and Technology Co. Ltd. This model can simultaneously supply oxygen to two patients who need oxygen support during COVID-19 treatment. Such safe and energy-efficient oxygen concentrators will also be useful for doctors after the pandemic is over. They can be used in treatment of not only the respiratory system’s diseases, but also diseases of the cardiovascular and cerebral vascular systems, as well as during hypoxia.

Rinat Akhmetov allocated UAH 300 million to help Ukraine in the fighting COVID-19. This is the largest contribution of one philanthropist to the public healthcare system. For efficient operation, the Foundation created project Fighting COVID-19 in Ukraine, which became part of the Rinat Akhmetov – Saving Lives program. The project is unprecedented for the country. This is the most comprehensive and largest-scale private initiative aimed at helping public healthcare facilities.