Donation of 10,000 Face Masks to Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Kyiv, Ukraine

On January 13, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine announced that the number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose up to 6,409 and the number of deaths, to 195, compared to the previous day. It was a rapid spread. Within only one month after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ukraine on March 3, last year, the cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 1,000; as a result, the government took strong preventive measures, such as banning all gatherings and movement of more than two people. Violation of the measures results in a fine of about 17,000 UAH [640 USD] for the first offense, and imprisonment for the third offense. However, despite strong preventive measures, COVID-19 did not slow down.

In May of last year, the spread of the virus subsided for a while, and preventive measures were eased, but the number of confirmed cases increased again soon after. Since then, the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation (hereinafter WeLoveU) has worked closely with the Ukrainian Embassy in Korea to seek ways to help Ukraine, and decided to donate 10,000 face masks to Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4, a designated hospital for COVID-19 treatment. The WeLoveU decided to send Korean hygienic masks with excellent build quality and wearing comfort to Ukraine.

Toward the end of July, someone received a letter that recommended agencies which needed to receive support from the Ukrainian Embassy in Korea. And two months later, the foreign office of Korea issued a license for taking face masks overseas for the WeLoveU. Preparing export documents in a hurry, the WeLoveU members loaded 10,000 hygienic face masks onto the airplane on December 28. In the beginning of the year, the face masks were sent over to the members of the WeLoveU branch in Kyiv, Ukraine as gifts.

The medical staff of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 promised constant cooperation with the WeLoveU

The members of the WeLoveU branch in Kyiv, Ukraine received the face masks from Korea, and put them into big boxes after repackaging them; then on January 14, they delivered the boxes of face masks to Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 and held the donation ceremony. Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4, designated as a hospital for COVID-19 treatment, has run 300 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients since April of the previous year. Mostepan Tetyana Volodymyrivna , the hospital director, expressed gratitude to the WeLoveU and promised constant cooperation at the donation ceremony, saying, “The face masks will ensure health and save lives of the medical staff here at the hospital.”

Chibisov Leonid Pavlovich, the director of the surgical ward, promised constant and sincere cooperation with the WeLoveU in the future, saying, “When I previously worked in infection wards, I used safety glasses, but the face masks were too close to my face, blocking my view, and they gave me a hard time. However, the new face masks feel really comfortable. I hope the face masks will guarantee our safety from the virus.”

The donation ceremony was held in the presence of the WeLoveU members in yellow jackets, the hospital director, deputy hospital director, and staff from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who together shouted, “We Love U” with cheers and laughter. It intermittently snowed during the donation ceremony. We look forward to hearing the news of the end of COVID-19 as a New Year gift when it snows in the beginning of the next year.