Donations raised during a business forum in Cherkasy were used to purchase ophthalmic equipment for defenders
Kyiv • UNN
Cherkasy Regional Hospital received a modern slit lamp for diagnosing eye diseases. The equipment was purchased with funds raised during the business forum and with the support of the MHP-Community Charitable Foundation.
Cherkasy Regional Hospital has received a modern slit lamp for diagnosing eye diseases. The device was handed over to Cherkasy doctors by philanthropists and local business representatives. It was purchased for donations raised during the Open Biz business forum, which was supported by the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration.
The Forum brought together more than 120 representatives of small and medium-sized businesses from Cherkasy region and became an important platform for realizing their role in this historic period. To the UAH 87 ,000 raised by the Forum participants, the MHP-Community Charitable Foundation added UAH 470 ,000, which allowed us to purchase important medical equipment that will allow us to examine civilians, veterans and military personnel faster and better. A slit lamp worth UAH 500 ,000 replaced its predecessor in the ophthalmology department of the regional hospital, which had been operating there for about 40 years.
“With the help of modern optics , the slit lamp allows us to see the cornea and vascular system of the eye in an enlarged view. This is especially important when examining our defenders, who mostly have eye injuries. The slit lamp helps doctors examine about 40-50 people per day,” explains Natalia Pustovit, head of the ophthalmology department at Cherkasy Regional Hospital.
The MHP-Hromada Charitable Foundation started supporting Cherkasy Regional Hospital in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, MHP and the Foundation allocated UAH 14 million to support hospitals in the region. The largest share of the assistance was provided to Cherkasy Regional Hospital.
“The equipment is expensive, but it is necessary for the patients of the institution, but first of all for the military who undergo treatment and rehabilitation here. Therefore, the MHP-Hromadske Charitable Foundation supported the initiative and multiplied the amount of money to purchase such equipment. “It is important for us today to help those who have returned from the front and also need treatment and rehabilitation. For this purpose, MHP has a program for reintegration and rehabilitation of defenders called MHP Poruch, which has already supported thousands of our guys and their families,” says Tatiana Volochai, Chairman of the Community Development Council of MHP-Hromadske.
Cherkasy Regional Hospital has 810 beds and has been 95-98% full since the start of the full-scale invasion. It is staffed by 1700 people. There are 11-13 operating rooms daily.
“Our institution is the largest multidisciplinary hospital in the Cherkasy region. Therefore, the workload is correspondingly high. However, each of the doctors and medical staff is interested in providing quality care to our patients. The sooner a patient recovers, the sooner he or she will return to his or her normal life. This depends, among other things, on the quality of medical equipment and medical technology,” says Vitaliy Shilo, hospital director.
“Before the full-scale war, our team also organized events where we brought together business, communities and government at business, educational and cultural events. Our festivals and forums have always had a socially important aspect: we raised funds for the needs of prematurely born children, people with disabilities, ATO soldiers, etc. This year, we decided to resume Open Biz and decided that we would focus on supporting the military undergoing rehabilitation. More than 120 people joined the business forum: from craft producers to representatives of national and international companies,” adds Olga Kasyanova, founder of the Open Biz business forum.
