CHERNIVTSI, UKRAINE — Samaritan’s Purse is operating an Emergency Outpatient Clinic in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, to provide medical care for the increasing volume of internally displaced people who are fleeing the violent conflict in their country.

Luke Bray, MD – Samaritan’s Purse:

With this being my first deployment, I didn’t know what to expect. So you’ve really got to be ready for almost anything.

My first patient was a gentleman in his 60s, 70s, and then he said, “Yeah, it’s chest pain. Yes, I do feel sweaty, actually. I don’t feel very well.” And it soon became clear he was probably having a heart attack. We immediately gave him some treatment and called the emergency number for an ambulance to arrive within a few minutes, and got him straight to hospital. So it was a successful outcome, really.

Whitney Peterson, RN – Samaritan’s Purse:

We had heard about an increased volume of Internally Displaced People here in the western part of Ukraine. There was a need for medical care, and so we decided to deploy our Tier 1 outpatient facility to help the people in need.

Luke Bray:

Definitely seeing a broad range of people from really young kids all the way up to quite elderly patients. We saw an 85-year-old lady who had been stood on her feet for 22 hours on a train, fleeing from the war. It’s varying, but we’re seeing approximately 3/4 of patients are internally displaced who are attending the clinic.

John Potts, MD – Samaritan’s Purse:

What is the stress level that you live with when you come here and you’re displaced and you have nothing?

Whitney Peterson:

Initially, we had people coming up saying there are so many children living in these dormitories, and many of them are sick– they have acute respiratory infections or acute GI infections– and so they were so excited to see treatment for their children provided by Samaritan’s Purse.

Tiffany Duckett, NP – Samaritan’s Purse:

We had another mother who presented with her two children. She had a one-year-old with a classic presentation of croup.

We had the treatment that was necessary. We’re also able to provide fever-reducing medications.

Victoria Samburska – Mother of Patients:

My children have been having high temperatures and colds. The health workers here helped diagnose their illnesses and gave us treatment. Now we’ll go back home very grateful and thankful for everyone here. We hope my kids will feel better tomorrow.

George Pershukov – Patient:

This is a very important and very urgent thing for us. The presence of your organization, the presence of your doctors here, are really a great assistance to our country.

John Potts:

I come here to help people who have a need. Here, they have nothing. If you don’t help them, nobody helps them.

That counts for a lot, because that’s what I’m doing. I’m doing what God called me to do.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

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