Toronto hospitals organize to send medical supplies to Ukraine
A pandemic hiatus in the collection of surplus medical supplies at the University Health Network has turned out to be a blessing for people in Ukraine, who are in desperate need of medical items.
“Because we regularly do a monthly collection and we haven’t been able to do it for just the past couple of months because Omicron made it too dangerous for the volunteers who usually come in here and collect the supplies, we had a lot of people who were already collecting a lot of supplies in their departments end,” says Lisa Vanlint, coordinator of the hospital network’s Operation Green.
Operation Green makes sure extra hospital supplies don’t go to waste by sending them to places in need like earthquake zones, other natural disasters — and right now, Ukraine.
In fact, because there had been a buildup of available items like catherization kits, splints and bandages, UHN was already able to send 46 boxes of supplies to Ukraine last week.
UHN, which includes Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret, has been partnering over the years with Not Just Tourists, a charitable organization. For this initiative, they’ve also joined forces with the Canada Ukraine Foundation.
“We are all trying to do all we can” says Juliet Lev, medical a dvisor at Not Just Tourists. “It’s not enough but if everybody can give what they can, hopefully it will help a little bit.”
Not Just Tourists has been collecting and sorting the items at Roncesvalles United Church and will ship the second batch of boxes overseas soon.
Operation Green has a list of required items, tailored to the needs of the war zone environment rather than general healthcare, and they point out that medications are not able to be included.
Below is a list of medical items requested:
- Gel based occlusive thoracic bandage, e.g. Hydroseal, (w or w/o valve)
- SAM splints
- Sterile Wipes
- Bandages (Israeli type)
- Chemical haemostatic agents, (e.g. Fibrillar, Gelfoam, Quickclot, Xstat)
- Tape, occlusive and woven
- Elastic bandages, (Tensors)
- Burn dressings, Hydrogel, various sizes
- Non sterile bandages and gauze dressings, various sizes
- Sterile bandages and gauze dressings, various sizes
- Soft gauze
- Individual sterile dressing packages with elastic first aid compression component with protective moisture resistant shell.
- Defibrillator and pads
- Catheterization set
- Catheters and bags
- Stretcher
- SWAT tourniquets
- IV blood transfusion sets
- Crystalloids
- First Aid Kits
- IFAK: Individual First Aid Kits
- Gastric lavage kits
- Tactical responder bags
- Waterproof markers
- PPE- gloves, masks, eye protection
- Laryngeal masks with combitubes (4,5,6)
- Nasopharyngeal airways
- Tracheostomy tubes
- Trauma scissors
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.