Inverness woman organises a collection of medical supplies for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russia invasion
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An Inverness woman is helping to co-ordinate a collection of medical supplies for Ukraine.
Aleksandra Czech-Seklecka, who is a 35-year-old student at Inverness College UHI, said that so far the response to support the Ukrainian healthcare service has been tremendous.
Mrs Czech-Seklecka, from Towerhill Road in Cradlehall, has been working with Polish paramedics Pawel Bednarenko and Agnieszka Szajna, who are in the UK and originally came up with the idea.
They started the collection of advanced medical equipment that can be used to treat injured people in Ukraine as well as those who have fled to Poland.
“Agnieszka contacted me to ask for support from Scotland,” she said. “We created a Facebook group and many people got involved including the Bridge Over Borders association.
“I am the main co-ordinator of this action in Scotland. I have contacted Karolina Lukaska to ask for help in Edinburgh. She is co-ordinating and collecting things for this action there.”
They are collecting two categories of equipment:
• Basic medical equipment such as bandages, dressings, thermometers and first aid kits.
• Specialised medical equipment that can be provided by healthcare professionals such as spinal immobilisation devices, stethoscopes, needles and syringes and tourniquets.
She said they have collected quite a lot of medical equipment that can be used in trauma situations, adding: “It is very difficult to get such equipment in Poland as it was sold out.
“I am receiving many private messages from people from the Highlands. I am promoting our action on Facebook – my post was even shared by one of Shetland’s Facebook pages.
“People in Scotland are so amazing, supportive and ready to help.”
Mrs Czech-Seklecka said that she had also received an offer of help from White and Company regarding transport and logistics.
She said: “We would like to collect equipment that would be used in humanitarian aid but also equipment that can be used by emergency services.
“The Ukraine healthcare service is under extreme pressure, with hospitals being attacked and rescue service workers risking their lives trying to help injured civilians.
“Ukrainian emergency care services are running out of supplies and this was our motivation to organise this support.”
• To help, email scotland.for.ukraine@gmail.com
