Oleksandra Oleshchuk: “In the rear, we do everything for our soldiers to be provided with the necessary resources and return alive”

From the first weeks of the war, the main building of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University turned into a large headquarters and warehouse. The Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Professor Oleksandra Oleshchuk, is responsible for the medical part. She admits that her involvement in this work was accidental, but it helped her to feel that she was needed by her country, to be effective even during hostilities.

“It was the second week of the war. I visited Ivan Klishch, Vice-Rector for Research, on business. At the same time, Rector Mykhaylo Korda came in and said that large shipments of medicines and medical supplies are coming to us, so we need to properly organize their reception and delivery, registration for better understanding of what kind of cargo we receive and where its contents will be needed in military hospitals and clinics. At that time, the issue of providing high-quality tourniquets and individual first-aid kits was very critical. Rector Mykhaylo Korda suggested that I take up this matter. I took it positively, because constantly listening to the news and doing nothing was psychologically difficult. It took away strength and hope that everything would be fine. And I grabbed the idea as an opportunity to be useful. From that time, we began to form the basis of our medical and pharmaceutical team. The first shipments showed us that it is necessary to unite people who are ready to be permanent members of the team. At the beginning, many teachers from different faculties and departments joined. The loads were different, mostly unsorted. And it was justified, because people in different countries understood that everything is critically needed in Ukraine, including medicines, medical supplies, and hygiene products. At that time, fighting continued in Kyiv and in the Kyiv region. No one knew how the war would develop, so they helped with everything they could.

We sorted all this in the administration building right at the entrance. Then the question arose: “And what of all this can we use to compose individual first-aid kits?”. There was a long discussion about what they should consist of. We began to be interested in what NATO standard first aid kits should be. I will always remember how we went from assembling an individual first-aid kit in disposable bags to already putting everything necessary in special bags, sewn according to all military standards. In this short time, we gained a lot of experience and understanding of how everything should be, what is needed. At the beginning, we formed the contents of an individual first-aid kit with excess components, we did not know where the tourniquet, Israeli bandage should be, so that they were convenient to get. Then we “polished” everything and now our first-aid kits fully meet the standards.

At first, volunteers brought us sewn bags, later we began to choose those sewing shops that make bags of high quality and as it should be. Moreover, in the first days of our volunteer activities, we started forming a pillpack (a set of pills for one-time use during an injury) for each first-aid kit at a professional level. Regarding its content and the appropriateness of certain drugs, we consulted with our simulation training centre specialists who organize first aid training for military personnel, medics, and civilians. It is mandatory to check and test the tourniqutes that we receive from our supporters. We accepted all feedback from our defenders and took into account their wishes. This connection remains to this day,” Oleksandra Oleshchuk says very calmly. Her emotions are revealed by a tear that quietly rolls down her cheek.

According to her, already after the first month of the war, a letter was received from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine stating that the work of volunteer centres related to the provision of medicines will be coordinated at the national level. TNMU was immediately connected to the MEDDATA ministerial platform.

“This is a very serious thing, because it clearly helps to understand the needs for drugs and medical devices in all medical and preventive institutions. This dashboard was created immediately after the beginning of the war. It informs the volunteer centres attached to it about unmet needs for medicines and medical products of the entire health care system. The site is dynamic in terms of prioritization, actualization of needs and their provision. Today, it is already combined with the system of State medical procurement. In fact, this is the rationalization of spending public funds and directing them to places where volunteers cannot provide appropriate medicines and medical supplies.

When we put our data in MEDDATA, we enter information in three positions: “in work”, “sent”, and only after receiving confirmation that the parcel has reached the addressee, we put “received”. Everyone understands that in wartime, “sent” does not mean “received”. It is especially problematic to organize a successful delivery to the occupied territory or to the front line of fire. One of the directions of our activity is the provision of medicines and medical devices for military hospitals and clinics. Doctors and military personnel transmit information quickly and contact us immediately. Another direction is individual first aid kits and shoulder pads for combat medics. In this direction, we also try to provide everything necessary to maintain the health of our defenders. Shoulder pads for combat medics are formed according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health. The third area is logistics. What remains in our warehouse also finds its application. We are immediately looking for a military hospital, clinic or military unit where it is needed.

In fact, we are at work now more than during peaceful life. It is necessary to work without days off from 9 a.m. until late in the evening. I am grateful to my team for their dedication. These are the people who can come even in the middle of the night, because everyone realizes that they are performing an important mission. Medicines are sorted and accounted for by Svitlana Kucher, Anastasiia Dub, Liubomyr Kryskiv, Ihor Medvid, Tetiana Kucher. Students, in particular Artem Malanchuk, Olha Hetun, and Uliana Stefurak, are constantly helping. Liudmyla Vronska, Mariia Borodai, Larysa Fedoniuk, Olha Denefil, Anna Demyd are responsible for medical products,” Oleksandra Oleshchuk says.

By the way, almost all team members do not like publicity. It is difficult to ask them to take a picture, because they believe that good deeds should be done quietly. Tons of medicines and medical supplies pass through their hands. It was interesting to watch how volunteer teachers took their laptops and went a little further into the corridor to conduct their class online. After that, they returned to sorting, warehousing and shipping. More than once, the lobby of the first floor of the administrative building was lined with boxes of the next humanitarian cargo, and Olesandra Oleshchuk’s team had already gathered around it. By morning, the huge pile was sorted, accounted for, and boxes for sending to the hospitals were already stacked next to the security post.

“Transparency and reporting are very important. We report daily on the received and sent cargoes on the website of the volunteer centre of TNMU. We are included in the ministerial chat, in which all volunteers of Ukraine communicate, so it is convenient for us to ask for advice or share our experience. Another important aspect is that our donors are people from practical medicine or are involved in it. They understand what we need and find everything clearly for our requests. For example, for the hospitals to provide first aid, it is necessary to have haemostatic agents, pain relievers, antibiotics, blood substitutes, crystalloids, etc. We also work with hospitals where injured military personnel are treated and provide them with VAC devices and external fixation devices. I feel involved in a large, all-human global network, where complete strangers and familiar people from Germany, Italy, the UK, the USA, Poland and other countries immediately respond and help.

We want to do everything we can to ensure that the boys and girls on the front lines are protected and have what they need. We are in the rear and safe, and they are risking their lives. We pray that whatever we give them will not be needed and will only be for their health. We really want all this to help save as many people as possible,” Ms. Oleksandra says with hope.

TNMU Press Secretary, Yanina Chaikivska.

Photographs by Mykola Vasylechko.