Ukraine war: how does MAGNA help

The bombing and shelling have been escalating since the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine on 24 February – Russian soldiers target civilians, residential buildings, hospitals, and fundamental infrastructure. Thousands of people lack water and electricity. Many civilians lost access to food and other basic resources during the destruction. Currently, there is an urgent need for healthcare, food, water and crisis intervention and trauma treatment consultancy in Ukraine.  

MAGNA has been responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crises for more than 20 years. When a new crisis occurs, we quickly activate and deploy our teams to the field. Our help is on-the-spot in order to help children and their families in need. Our response to the Russian invasion, that has already caused deaths of hundreds of civilians and expulsion of millions of people, is no different.   

Our MAGNA Team started helping in Ukraine the very first days of invasion. We have distributed medicines and medical supplies from our storehouses directly to the healthcare centers and to the medical staff. 15 000 people have been supported by the aid in the north-west area near Kyiv, where many civilians suffer from the fierce fighting. 

More than 10 million people have been forced to leave their homes and are now in need of humanitarian help, which means this is the greatest and fastest displacement crisis since the Second World War. More than 3,5 million have fled to the neighboring countries, where they became refugees. Masses of people keep reaching the borders with Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova only with stuff they could carry. About 12 million people got stuck in the country and they cannot escape from Ukraine due to increasing violence, destruction of bridges and roads, or lack of resources and information on where to find safety.

How does MAGNA help in Ukraine and the neighboring countries?

Ukraine

The Ukrainian medics have become not only the point of contact for the sick and injured, but also victims of the conflict. MAGNA sends medicines, medical supplies, and kits to Ukraine, to enable urgent surgeries and childbirths. The first transports deliver help to more than 300 000 people. More are coming. MAGNA Teams distribute them on the spot to the hospitals in Kyiv and Chernigov. At the same time, our mobile medical teams are treating people in need, and we support local hospitals in their capacity. If the situation permits, the help will also be provided in Mariupol, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities.  

“The conflict affects nearly every Ukrainian citizen, and it is harmful, especially for the civilians. In my hometown, a family with small children was killed yesterday. They were my neighbors, they had nothing to do with all the fighting. We are receiving information from other cities; that their hospitals and healthcare centers lack medicines, bandages, and other supplies they need especially for urgent injuries,” says MAGNA’s medical coordinator in Ukraine, Roman Barylo. 

Moldova

With hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees coming to Moldova, it is a huge pressure on Moldovan healthcare system. More than 331 000 refugees have come to Moldova since the beginning of the Ukrainian invasion on 24 February and around 100 000 of them are still in the country. Moldova, a small former Soviet republic, is one of the poorest countries in Europe with the population of only 2,6 million people. It aspires to become part of EU and NATO, just like Ukraine. Despite the EU’s offer to help, Ukrainians prefer to stay in Moldova because of the language barrier and the proximity to their Ukrainian homes.

In the future, MAGNA plans to strengthen healthcare capacities in the country and provide refugees the access to healthcare through mobile medical services or through strengthening of the existing local medical infrastructure.

Slovakia

MAGNA in Slovakia helps refugees to secure their basic health needs, especially medicines and food through the distribution of vouchers. Emergency medical assistance to the refugees is fully covered by the state, but refugees still pay for routine medical care and medicines. MAGNA is therefore setting up a system to support and distribute medicines to refugees crossing or staying in Slovakia.  

How can you help Ukraine?

One of the best ways you can help straight away is to donate. This can help us to keep helping children and their families in need in Ukraine. You will be one of more than 60 000 people in Czechia and Slovakia that help Ukraine with us.

Donate via bank transfer:
IBAN CODE: SK5811000000002943004292

Donate here and now:
https://donate.magna.org/ukraine/