An oxygen station went live at Avdiivka city hospital. It was installed by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Metinvest as part of the COVID-19 Fight in Ukraine project.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Ukraine, Rinat Akhmetov was the first to give a helping hand. He allocated around UAH 500 million towards COVID-19 Fight in Ukraine project, a part of the Rinat Akhmetov – Saving Lives programme. The base hospitals across the country promptly received 216 ventilators, over 300 rapid lateral flow tests, more than 200 units of personal safety equipment and consumables, as well as 159 oxygen concentrators. Overall, the Foundation helped 500+ medical institutions country-wide,” shares Iryna Blazhan, Head of the Foundation Programmes.
She says that the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is the largest private charity in Ukraine that helped 5 million people survive over its 15-year history.
Avdiivka city hospital received a fully automated oxygen supply system. The station has two 3-tonne reservoirs that can continuously pump oxygen to the three-storey main hospital building and the standalone ward for infectious diseases. This oxygen station will substantially contribute towards the fight with the pandemic and enable medics to save even more lives. Its design includes an alert system and the enhanced security provisions. Today, the oxygen already flows to COVID-19 patients.
“Oxygen supply to hospitals for proper treatment of coronavirus patients remains a pressing issue. To this end, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Avdiivka Coke and Chemicals Plant set out to build an oxygen station. Our plant was among the first to help the city hospital at the coronavirus pandemic outbreak. We promptly purchased the highest-grade respirators and protective overalls, as well as three oxygen concentrators. Together with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation AKHZ delivered a ventilator and the test kits to the hospital,” says AKHZ CEO Vitaly Lytovka.
Head of Avdiivka City Civil and Military Administration Vitaly Barabash adds that the launch of the oxygen station is truly important for the city.
“With this station our hospital has managed to conclude a contract with the National Health Service of Ukraine to receive a “covid” package. Now our community members can get coronavirus treatment at the local hospital in their home area. Furthermore, we admit patients from other localities. I am certain that with the help of Metinvest and the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation we will save lives of many people in our community,” says Vitaly Barabash.
The new station will supply medical grade oxygen to 81 points in infectious disease ward, neurology and surgery units, medical ward, ICU, and operating theatres. The COVID-19 Fight in Ukraine project is the most substantial, systemic, and extensive private initiative aimed to help the public medical institutions fight the new disease. The scale of this support effort is unprecedented, and the project has improved the quality of healthcare services in the country.