More than 1,700 sets of essential medications are issued to children by Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center

Today, October 6 marks one year since the launch of targeted assistance project called "Medications for Children". Over this period Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center issued 1,718 sets with medications to Donbas children suffering severe chronic diseases.

"With the outbreak of hostilities in Donbas the situation with medications became critical. More and more calls were coming on the hotline of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center from parents of severely ill children. The main reason is the lack of medications and no state programs to support Donbas children. People were literally crying for help. That's why Rinat Akhmetov decided to issue the most demanded pharmaceuticals on a frequent basis. Over the year of "Medications for Children" project operation 961 children were provided with assistance to cure asthma, epilepsy and diabetes", – Yuliia Herasymenko, the Head of "Targeted Assistance" program at Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center, shared.

75% of children, who received the Center's assistance, are those living in non-government-controlled areas. Other 25% are IDPs living in Donbas. Most of the children are under 12 years old.

The most demanded medications during the project operation period were anticonvulsants – the Center issued 645 packs of them to children with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Children also received: 465 sets of asthma medications, 231 packs of insulin and 377 sets of test stripes.

"A great number of calls are coming to the Humanitarian Center from parents of the children, whose diseases started progressing after nervous breakdowns. This happened to nine-year-old Anhelina. In summer 2014 the girl was staying at her grandfather's in Torez, and she saw how the Boeing crashed. Shortly Anhelina was taken to hospital and diagnosed diabetes. This is not the only case, we receive many similar applications", –  Yuliia Herasymenko assures.

As part of targeted assistance program the Humanitarian Center issued medications for three months ahead, selecting them individually for every child. Over the year of "Medications for Children" project operation many families got help 2-3 times.

The applications are accepted via the Humanitarian Center's hotline: 0800 509 001. Medications from the Humanitarian Center are issued to children under 18 years old living in non-government-controlled areas and also IDPs staying on the peaceful territory of Donbas. They can be received only in pharmacies of peaceful Artemivsk, Mariupol and Kramatorsk, Donetsk region.