Helping a Family from Mariupol: The Work of a Mini-Clinic in the Zakarpattia Region

“We are from Mariupol,” says Viktor, 65. “When the war started, we were in hell. We spent a month in the basement, under constant bombardment. We didn’t take off our clothes or wash ourselves for the entire month. It was a horror that’s hard to put into words.”

He and his wife were unable to leave the city until 29 March. Due to the severe cold and the harsh conditions they endured, the couple fell seriously ill, and the effects are still felt today. Despite the danger, Viktor and his wife first evacuated to Zaporizhzhia, then to Lviv, and now they live in Uzhhorod.

“In Uzhhorod, we found out about the Ukrainian Red Cross,” says Viktor. “We received humanitarian aid, including food, clothes, and hygiene kits.”

Given the severe impact on their health, the family was searching for medical assistance, a check-up, and treatment.

“One day, we went to the city branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross and saw tents with doctors. We received consultations, were referred for examinations, and received help with re-signing a declaration with a doctor from the Ukrainian Red Cross mini-clinic.”

Currently, a doctor from the Uzhhorod city branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross mini-clinic monitors the family’s health. The doctor regularly conducts examinations, offers consultations, and adjusts treatment as needed.

The mini-clinic at the Uzhhorod city branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross is staffed by qualified doctors who provide essential medical care to internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations. Since the beginning of the year, the mini-clinic has served up to 4,000 people. Each day, medical staff assist 30-40 patients. Services at the clinic include consultations with family doctors, psychological testing, laboratory examinations, ECGs, and ultrasound diagnostics. Patients can also receive referrals to specialist doctors, prescriptions under the Affordable Medicines programme, and free medication.

We stand by those in need!