CAM is providing much-needed medicines for Ukrainians after the war broke many supply chains and destroyed factories and infrastructure. Before they were damaged, railroads, rail stations, oil refineries, and storage facilities played a crucial part in keeping products flowing. The lack of oil refineries and destroyed fuel supplies caused a severe fuel shortage in Ukraine. All these things combined with the danger of delivering products near the fighting create difficulties for Ukrainians to get good medicines.
If medicines are available, people may not have the ability to get them. Some don’t have vehicles to travel to places with medicines. Others with vehicles may not have enough fuel to get there. Many people lost their jobs and source of income as people fled and businesses moved or shut down, so purchasing fuel or medicines may be out of question.
Ukrainian believers are reaching out to struggling people in spite of the challenges, but four months of war drained their resources. Many of them are looking to other sources for help. CAM is working with these believers by creating a kit containing 34 common medical items. Our Ukrainian employees worked with several doctors to determine which medicines to purchase and how much of each medicine to include in the kit. The items range from cough medicine for children to blood pressure medicines for the elderly. There are also bandages, gauze, and other practical first aid items in the kits.
Since the war, the government loosened restrictions on who can purchase large quantities of medicines. This freedom lasts as long as martial law is in effect in Ukraine. The loosened restrictions enable us to go directly to the manufacturers to purchase the medicines in large quantities. After our medical kits are assembled at the warehouse in Ukraine, churches and organizations distribute them to people who may otherwise not have access to medicines and supplies.