War orphans receive expert care: Ohmatdyt doctors conduct comprehensive medical exams in Makariv
26 qualified doctors from Ohmatdyt examined children in Makariv, Kyiv Oblast. More than 100 wards of the Children of Heroes Charity Fund, whose parents died during the full-scale war, underwent a full body check-up as part of the Health Moneybox project. This initiative is supported by the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation and the National Children’s Specialized Hospital of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Ohmatdyt.
“This is the second time that we have organised a medical expedition to Makariv. In September 2023, a record number of children were examined by Kyiv doctors. 18 villages of the Makariv community remained under occupation for 33 days — from 27 February to 31 March. The front line was here. The enemy killed over two hundred people and destroyed homes and infrastructure. Children who have lost their parents and experience financial difficulties are especially vulnerable now, as they do not receive state aid because their parents were not in the military,” says Volodymyr Zabela, MHP’s manager and a co-organiser of the trip.
4-year-old Polina’s father died in the second week of the full-scale invasion when the family was fleeing the dangerous area. His life was cut short by an enemy shell. The Children of Heroes Foundation takes care of almost 8,000 children. These are the children who lost one or both of their parents because of the full-scale war with Russia. Philanthropists provide comprehensive support, including emergency, medical, humanitarian, educational, psychological, and socialisation assistance.
“Some of our wards not only lost one or both of their parents but also their homes. They had to leave their homes and look for shelter in other cities, find new doctors, and try to start a new life. Stressful situations related to loss and war, as well as the experience of occupation, have dramatically affected the physical health of children. At the same time, a preventive examination helps identify potential problems and reduce the risk of further complications,” says Yuliia Petruchenko, Deputy Head of the Department for Families Affected by Military Aggression at the Children of Heroes Charity Fund.
In 2023, as part of the Health Moneybox medical initiative, doctors together with philanthropists from the MHP-Gromadi Foundation held 13 on-site consultations in de-occupied, frontline and remote communities in four Oblasts of the country, performed full body check-ups of 3,000 children, of whom 115 were referred for inpatient treatment.
“Occupation, displacement due to the war, shelling, air raids, and chronic stress are the factors that adversely affect the health of our children now and will have long-term consequences for the country as a whole. Understanding this, the MHP-Gromadi Foundation has purchased the equipment for the medical team and supports on-site medical examinations performed by qualified doctors in the de-occupied and frontline regions,” says Tetiana Volochai, Director of the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation.
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MHP-Gromadiis a Ukrainian charitable foundation that has been actively involved in restoring and developing Ukrainian communities since 2015. The Foundation helps residents of small towns and villages build partnerships with public authorities and businesses. The Foundation operates in 13 Oblasts of Ukraine and has a presence in over 700 cities and towns. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, it has been providing regular aid to those who need it most: defenders, rescuers, IDPs, children, and the elderly. The Foundation supports small businesses and implements joint development, educational, medical, infrastructure, and cultural projects in cooperation with international and Ukrainian donors.
The Children of Heroes Charitable Fund helps children who lost one or both parents as a result of the full-scale invasion of Russia. The Foundation provides emergency financial assistance, psychological support and legal aid, and promotes the education and development of children until they reach adulthood. By the middle of February, the Foundation had 7889 children in its care. Of these, 1,062 are internally displaced persons, 151 have lost their parents, 177 have disabilities, and 970 are from families with multiple children. Every week, approximately 80 children come to the Fund for help. Approximately 88% of the Fund’s beneficiaries are the children of military personnel, while 12% are the children of civilians. Programmes and projects undertaken by the Fund are based on an individual approach to each child and focus on meeting the unique needs of children in its care.