UKRAINIAN HOSPITALS RECEIVE FOUR AMBULANCES FROM CANADA
SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 - KYIV, UKRAINE - Four Canadian ambulances that are ready for service were handed off to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine this morning. The ambulances, along with equipment and supplies, were donated by paramedics services from the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta to the main hospitals that treat injured soldiers from the conflict zone.
The event and ambulance keys handoff took place outside the Winner Automotive showroom in Kyiv.
"We are inspired in Canada by Ukrainians and their support for their brave soldiers fighting for Ukraine's freedom," Katherine Vellinga of EuroMaidan Canada and the "Ambulances for Ukraine" project team said. "Canada supports Ukraine, and this project shows the continued cooperation between the Ukrainian Canadian community, government and industry partners to assist Ukraine and its people. I offer my sincere gratitude to all of our partners across Canada and in Ukraine."
The Canadian donor organizations were represented by Ms. Vellinga at the event. The guests were welcome by his Excellency Roman Waschuk, Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine. Speaking at the event from the Government of Ukraine were Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine on European Integration Igor Dolgov; Deputy Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko; and Director of the Military Medical Department Col. Andriy Verba. Also attending were key partners in Ukraine - Oleksiy Gridin, project coordinator in Ukraine and Advisor to the Ministry of Defense, from the Civic Organization "All-Ukrainian Union Patriot", and Petro Rondiak, the Head of the Management Board of the Winner Group of Companies in Ukraine and General Director of Winner Imports Ukraine.
The heads of the three beneficiary hospitals received the keys to the ambulances at the ceremony. Those hospitals are in Kharkiv (Military Medical Clinical Centre of the Northern Region), Dnipropetrovsk (Military Hospital 385) and Vinnytsia (Military Medical Clinical Centre of the Central Region).
The four ambulances will immediately help emergency service personnel treating patients in Ukraine. The four ambulances, with equipment and supplies, are valued at more than $100,000 CAD. They represent the first of a two-phase project that is expected to see another 12 to 16 ambulances from Canada delivered to meet the needs of Ukrainian hospitals.
The Ambulances for Ukraine project is truly national in scope, and was spearheaded by a Canadian of Ukrainian descent from Saskatchewan, Dave Dutchak,a founding member of Paramedic Chiefs of Canada. This project has the full support of the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada and the Saskatchewan Emergency Medical Association.
Financial and administrative support was provided by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF), the Government of Saskatchewan, EuroMaidan Canada (part of UCC Toronto), UCC - Saskatchewan Provincial Council, and the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine. Corporate partners included Crestline Coach Ltd, M.D. Ambulance, Parkland Ambulance, Duck Mountain EMS, AED Advantage Sales, Physio-Control, WPD Ambulance (Saskatchewan), Associated Ambulance Services (Alberta), and Winner Imports (Kyiv, Ukraine). Project organization and execution in Ukraine was provided by Civic Organization "All-Ukrainian Union Patriot".
