The new «Medications for Children» program of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center

The Humanitarian Center launched a new targeted assistance program on October 6, which is aimed at helping Donbas children who suffer diabetes, asthma and epileptic syndromes with vital medications. The information on "Medications for Children" program was provided during the press conference in Ukrainski Novyny by Iryna Temerko, the Head of Targeted Assistance direction.

The new Humanitarian Center's program involves the systematic issuance of insulin, anticonvulsants and anti-asthma medications to all children under 18, living in non-government-controlled areas of Donbas, and children from internally displaced families who left for peaceful territories of Ukraine.

"From now on the Humanitarian Center starts accepting applications from parents via the hotline. This program is aimed for children, who suffer diabetes, asthma or require anticonvulsants, – Iryna Temerko, the Head of Targeted Assistance at Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center, declares. – Why is this direction a priority one? Over the year of its operation the Humanitarian Center has analysed numerous calls, coming into our hotline, and based on this information we identified three most demanded directions for pharmaceutical assistance in Donbas. It can be also regarded as parents' cry for help addressed to the Humanitarian Center and its founder Rinat Akhmetov".

Before the military conflict in Donbas there were several budget programs, providing the benefit-entitled categories of severely ill children with free medications, including young children under three years old and disabled kids. Children from three to six years old could get these medications with 50% discount.

"Our Medications for Children program is unique, because we are not dividing children into categories, and decided to issue free medications to all severely ill children under 18. We understand that today many families found themselves in difficult life circumstances, – Iryna Temerko said. – Also, the unique character of the new program consists in the individual approach to each child. We are not providing everyone with the same packages of medications. When receiving the calls on our hotline, we create the database, according to which every child will be granted a specific name and dosage of medication in the amount he/she needs. This is provided for parents to continue the treatment of their child with those medications that were prescribed from the moment of disease detection.

The medications will be issued in government-controlled areas on Donbas: in the pharmacies of Artemivsk, Kramatorsk and Mariupol. The parents of children, living in non-government-controlled areas, can receive the pharmaceuticals here as well. The medications will be issued to every child for three months ahead.

"For now we start the issuance in government-controlled areas. In case the problems with medicine deliveries to NGCA are resolved, the Humanitarian Center is planning to open an issuing point in Donetsk for those families, who cannot leave ATO area", – Iryna Temerko assures.

As of today the total number of children registered in the database of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center includes 180 kids who need insulin, 60 children that need anticonvulsants and about 80 children who require asthma medications. These are the children, whose parents called the hotline several times and asked for help.

"Today the program has officially started and we invite all parents, whose children have the aforementioned diagnoses, to call the Humanitarian Center's hotline. We hope that the existing database will grow, and we can issue medications to all children who need them", – Iryna Temerko summarized.

As part of this program Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center is planning to help up to 1,000 severely ill children by providing them with pharmaceuticals.

The categories of children who can receive medications (from 0 to 18 years old):

• children who are staying in non-government-controlled areas of Donbas (NGCA) upon availability of medical certificate with diagnosis and names of medications
• children from internally displaced families who left for Ukraine from NGCA upon availability of IDP certificate and medical certificate with diagnosis and names of necessary medications

Diagnoses the medications are provided for:

• diabetes mellitus
• bronchial asthma
• epilepsy (of any form and its consequences)
• cerebral palsy (of any form)
• hydrocephalus (with associated complications)
• traumatic brain injuries and their consequences
• central nervous system injuries
• encephalitides (and their forms)

To receive the necessary medication please call the Humanitarian Center's hotline 0 800 50 9001, leave an application and wait for Targeted Assistance employee to call you back. The responsible employee will explain what documents should be prepared and what pharmacy can the medicine be received at. To receive medications the following documents shall be provided:

• medical certificate with diagnosis, names of medications, their amount and monthly dosage
• copy of passport and identification code of one parent
• child's birth certificate