MMI in Ukraine
MMI UKRAINE TEAM
In 2001, Medical Ministry International established a health center for the poor in Baku, Azerbaijan. As an outreach of this Vision Care Program, Caspian Compassion Projects (CCP) facilitated MMI’s first Project Team in Ukraine in August 2016. As a result of this Project Team, 50 patients received sight saving cataract surgery and an additional 80 patients received a consultation and advice from an ophthalmologist. This project was these patients only option for eye care as they could not afford the care available locally. To expand the work of MMI/CCP in Ukraine, the leadership of CCP intend to establish an extension of CCP’s programs in Ukraine and facilitate ongoing care for the poor throughout the year. The clinic’s work would be supported by future MMI/CCP Project Teams to Ukraine.
Yelena Filippova has been working with MMI in Azerbaijan since 1996 and became the Executive Director of Caspian Compassion Project in 1999. Yelena is originally from Azerbaijan and graduated from Azerbaijan State University in mathematics. Together with Tofig Teymurov, they are leading the CCP works with MMI with many projects such as “Eye Surgeries in Azerbaijan” and Permanent Centre of CCP for healthcare supports.
Yelena Filippova
Tofic Teymurov
Establishing Ukraine Compassion Project (UCP)
Leadership from Caspian Compassion Project (CCP) in Azerbaijan is working to create a “Charitable Fund” in Ukraine under the name “Ukraine Compassion Project” (UCP).
The Administrators of the current Medical Center "New Zir" have had meetings with the Leadership of CCP in Azerbaijan to discuss use of their facility to accommodate providing health care to those with limited ability to pay for ophthalmology services.
The Administrators of New Zir are willing to work along side MMI/CCP as we develop programs to increase capacity in Ukraine. We appreciate their facility and support.
Plans are underway for MMI/CCP to see patients in the "New Zir" clinic one day per week. To ensure sustainability of the clinic, patients will be asked to pay a consultation fee. This will provide the means to pay for rent, medicine, and some employee salaries. It is expected that the price of surgery will be half the price of typical patients of the clinic. MMI/CCP will fundraise money for patients who have no means to pay for surgery.
The Leadership of CPP have met with the leadership of different faiths in the community including the Muslim (Sheikh) people, the evangelical churches, as well as the Adventists and Baptists. The leadership in each of the communities know their people very well and are supporting to provide information to the poor in their communities who are struggling with eye problems.
Support from Odessa: The leadership of CCP Azerbaijan have held meetings with representatives of the associations of the three different Rotary Clubs in Odessa. The Rotarians are very interested in supporting the Vision Programs of MMI/CCP would like to help fundraise for the poor people living in Odessa with eye problems. These patients would travel to Kiev to be cared for at the New Zir clinic. Some of the Rotarians volunteered with the Project Team in August 2016.
Project Site:
Kiev is the capital and largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population in July 2013 was 2,847,200 making Kiev the 8th most populous city in Europe. Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational, and cultural centre of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro.
* Project Discription:
To preform cataract surgeries and to guide local young eye doctors during consultations; share experience and conduct class with local doctors. Medical Center “New Zir” is located in Kiev. It is a good facility what was open in 2004. http://www.zir.com.ua/eng
Elevation
179m (587 ft)
Climate
The months May, June, July and August have nice weather with a good average temperature.
Travelling on a Project
Dr John Wilkinson and patient
About Ukraine
COUNTRY BACKGRound
Ukraine is famous for agricultural production such as sunflower and wheat. It is known as the 'Bread basket' of Europe
Ukrainian culture and customs of Ukraine and ethnic Ukrainians. Ukraine has a shared culture and history with neighboring nations, dating back to the 9th century and the Land of Rus. Mutual customs are shared among the cultures of Ukraine, Belarus, Ukrainian Cossacks and Russians. Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by the Eastern Orthodox Church and traditions from Slavic mythology. The Soviet era unified the cultures of many unrelated nations with a common language.
Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire.
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES:
49 00 N, 32 00 E
MAP REFERENCES:
Asia, Europe
LAND BOUNDARIES:
TOTAL:
5,618 km
BORDER COUNTRIES:
Belarus 1,111 km, Hungary 128 km, Moldova 1,202 km, Poland 535 km, Romania 601 km, Russia 1,944 km, Slovakia 97 km
COASTLINE:
2,782 km
MARITIME CLAIMS:
12 nautical miles
CLIMATE:
Temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south
TERRAIN:
Mostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean Peninsula
ELEVATION EXTREMES:
LOWEST POINT:
Black Sea - 0 m
HIGHEST POINT:
Hora Hoverla - 2,061 m
