Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

 

AMDA has just received a periodic activity report from MedSpot, an aid organization based in Budapest, Hungary, which borders Ukraine. Aiming to provide assistance to those evacuated from Ukraine’s war zones, the organization has been conducting monthly mobile clinic services since November 2022 in Zakarpattia Oblast in western Ukraine. AMDA has been supporting the organization by distributing medicines and medical supplies.
 
According to the report, approximately 4 million people have been internally displaced within Ukraine, many of whom have been taking refuge in evacuation shelters for more than three years. In Zakarpattia alone, about 62,000 people have sought refuge as the area is considered relatively safe. 
 
However, a survey which MedSpot conducted in 2024 revealed that many of the evacuees were struggling with financial difficulties. A quarter of them were classified as among the impoverished, with one-third of the population living below the nation’s standard income level. This has obliged the evacuees to refrain from seeking medical consultations, leading to worsening symptoms of chronic diseases, delays in treatment, and increased psychological stress. For this reason, MedSpot’s mobile clinic services play a crucial role in providing treatment, counseling, and medication to those in need of outreach assistance.
 
One of the officials at MedSpot’s partner organization says that unforeseen circumstances have taken a toll on people’s mental health. In addition, constant tension and stress have resulted in more cases of hypertension and diabetes among evacuees.
 
The sense of crisis is also evident in evacuees’ conversations. While many topics revolve around fear, pain, and loss, stories of atrocities have affected even those who did not witness them firsthand. As a result, many evacuees are beginning to require sleeping pills because of the sleeplessness stemming from them.
 
Furthermore, even in Zakarpattia, dozens of people were injured last August after missiles were fired into the area. In response, MedSpot urgently coordinated response activities with local hospitals, including triage training and other efforts.
 
During its mobile clinic services, a woman in her 80s told doctors that the attack forced her to recall the anguish and fear she had experienced in Donetsk, where she was rescued from a fire after raids. “I came to Zakarpattia to seek safety and peace,” she said. “However, this place isn’t safe anymore as the missile blast proved it.”
 
Prior to the August attack, her chronic symptoms, such as headaches and mild hypertension, had been relatively stable. However, they got worse after the event, with herself beginning to suffer from severe anxiety and depression.
 
Through MedSpot, AMDA will continue to support those persevering through such challenging times.