U.S. continues aid to Kharkiv region with $16.5 million medical shipment (09/05/99)

U.S. continues aid to Kharkiv region with $16.5 million medical shipment

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - The United States government continued to expand its involvement in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine on August 25 when it delivered $16.5 million in medical equipment and medicines to the area's hospitals and clinics.

The humanitarian assistance project, the first and largest U.S. government effort in one of Ukraine's most heavily populated regions, is part of the Kharkiv Initiative, a program to stimulate economic activity in the region and improve the life of Kharkiv's residents, which until now had produced few tangible results.

"This is the first real investment in terms of money," said Olha Myrtsal, an information officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Sponsored by the Department of State, the humanitarian assistance program called "Project Hope" delivered 130 containers totaling $8 million in medical equipment and supplies, and two airlifts of some $8.5 million in pharmaceuticals, medicines and medical supplies. The materials include x-ray machines, operating room equipment, medical instruments and hospital beds, and consumable items such as bandages, surgical gloves, syringes and sutures.

The Counterpart Alliance Program, a non-governmental organization funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, will oversee the distribution of the equipment and supplies in the next two months, assisted by the international private volunteer organizations MAP International, the International Medical Corps and Heart to Heart.

Counterpart International Deputy General Director Sergei Zhgirov said that Kharkiv hospitals need not worry about receiving expired medicines or outdated equipment. He explained that, in conjunction with Kharkiv Oblast authorities, his organization accepted only medical supplies with expiration dates well in the future.

"We noticed on some insulin packages expiration dates of October 1999, which we declined to accept, even though the insulin is especially needed here, as you well know, and would have been used up immediately," said Mr. Zhgirov.

The pharmaceutical supplies and technical equipment were donated by multiple U.S donors, said Ms. Myrtsal of the U.S. Embassy. She added that in the next two months another shipment of up to $2 million of additional consumable medical supplies is expected in Kharkiv.

The Kharkiv Initiative resulted from a U.S. decision to compensate the region for the loss of money and jobs after Turboatom, one of Kharkiv's largest manufacturers, agreed to stop the construction of turbines for a nuclear plant in Iran at Washington's insistence.

The U.S. Embassy has cooperated with the region's local governments and businesses to stimulate U.S. commercial investment in the region. It has organized exchanges of Ukrainian and U.S. businesspeople and worked to make Kharkiv businesses more investor-friendly. Ms. Myrtsal explained that no contracts have yet been signed with U.S. businesses.

Ambassador William Taylor, coordinator of U.S. assistance to the New Independent States, and Chargé d'Affaires David Hess of the U.S. Embassy led a delegation of officials present for the delivery of the medical shipment.

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