Medical Assistance in the De-Occupied Ukrainian Territory

• Published in: Prehospital and disaster medicine 2023-12, Vol.38 (6), p.807-812
• Main Authors: Mazurenko, Oleg V., Roshchin, Georgiy G., Slychko, Ivan Yo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arthritis; Asthma; Blood pressure; Case reports; Chronic illnesses; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Clinics; COVID-19; Diabetes; Digestive system; Displaced persons; Females; Field Report; Gynecology; Health facilities; Hospitals; Humanitarianism; Hypertension; Infections; Medical equipment; Medical instruments; Menstruation; Mobile businesses; Musculoskeletal diseases; Musculoskeletal system; Patients; Public health; Respiratory tract; Statistical methods; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Trauma; Urogenital system; Vascular diseases
• ISSN: 1049-023X; 1945-1938
• DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X23006398

Introduction:The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has affected more people and destroyed a local public health facility. When some territories in Ukraine were de-occupied, national and international mobile clinics (MCs) were involved for medical assistance to local inhabitants. Knowledge about population health, medical, and humanitarian needs after they have been de-occupied has to improve planning for health system response.Objective:The aim of this study was to summarized the MC experience at the first month after the area was de-occupied, as well as to show out-patient visits and to identify a need for medicines and medical equipment in the MC.Methods:The information related to the missions was obtained by direct observation and estimation on empirical data gathering in the field during a twelve-day mission in April-May 2022. All patients were divided by age, sex, and diseases according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10). During the twelve-day MC mission, medical assistance was provided for 478 out-patients. Descriptive statistical methods were undertaken using Microsoft Office 2019, Excel with data analysis.Interventions:All out-patients were evaluated clinically. Personal medical cards were completed for each patient. Glucose testing as well as tests for coronavirus disease 2019/COVID-19 had been done, if it was necessary. All sick persons were treated for their disease.Results:The priority needs for emergency and primary medical care, medicines, and hygienic and sanitation supplies after the area was de-occupied were fixed. The most frequent reasons for visiting the МС were: hypertension (27.6%), musculoskeletal-related (arthritis) diseases (26.9%), heart and peripheral vascular diseases (12.1%), upper gastrointestinal disorder (5.4%), upper respiratory infection (5.0%), and diabetes Type-2 (3.7%). Other diagnoses such as lower respiratory tract infection, diagnoses of the digestive system (hemorrhoids and perianal venous thrombosis), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD or asthma, eye diseases, gynecology-related condition, menstrual condition, and urinary tract disorder were distributed almost equally (0.21%-2.51%) among the patient population.Conclusions:In the de-occupied territories, a health responder could be ready for medical assistance to patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as well as to support a person with psychological reactions who asked for sedatives and sleep-inducing medicines. These data