Schools are closed, public events banned and travel restricted for a three-week period after the first death from H1N1 flu was confirmed by the Ministry of Health last week and a state of emergency was announced in several regions in western Ukraine.
The epidemic did not take the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) by surprise as the National Society has been engaged in human pandemic preparedness with the government since 2007. This work was intensified in May 2009, and in October, the National Society joined the global Red Cross Red Crescent campaign “Your best defence is you” launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC ). Posters with simple rules of self protection against the virus have been translated into the Ukrainian language are being dispatched to the regions for dissemination through URCS branches in local shops, public transport, schools and other places.
Spreading the word
“The epidemic did not take us by surprise as we were aware of the virus and have made some preparedness steps beginning from June,” says Tatiana Magera, 35 from the URCS branch in Ternopil. Tatyana was one of those who organized workshops, spread information leaflets and wrote short articles on epidemic preparedness in the local newspapers. “And yet we did not expect the infection to come and spread so quickly,” Tatiana remarks. She expresses concern that some Red Cross staff and volunteers now have to stay at home themselves with respiratory diseases. “It has become more difficult to mobilize young volunteers as most schools are closed. But the active ones continue to work,” she adds.
Although the outbreak of respiratory illness has been observed in the country since mid-October, the virus has reached epidemic levels in the four regions of western Ukraine last week. Official statistics in Ukraine show over 478,000 cases of respiratory diseases and seasonal flu. Yesterday the Ukrainian officials confirmed 17 cases of H1N1 with three of them lethal. The Ukrainian government is taking steps by providing additional funding for anti retroviral drugs and medical equipment that can be used to treat H1N1 infection. It has also appealed for international support.
Nationwide role to support government efforts
“We managed to define our role in this national effort,” says Valery Sergovsky from the URCS Headquarters. “Our trained staff and volunteers educate people on vital basics of secure behaviour. These simple messages helped ease panic last week and they continue to arm people with easy and accessible tools of personal protection. Good relations with the governmental bodies responsible for the epidemic control at the ministries of emergencies and of health help coordinate our action,” he said. The Red Cross video short developed for the global campaign was translated into Ukrainian and approved by the Ministry of Health. This week it is being broadcast on the local channels in six regions in western Ukraine.
Caring for the elderly in the community
“Apart from raising public awareness, the URCS is also involving its visiting nurses in the campaign with their clients who would normally not receive this practical advice,” Sergovsky continues.
According to Valery Starchenko , director of the URC branch in Ivano-Frankivsk, 86 visiting nurses in his branch have all got additional work with daily telephone calls to some 9,000 elderly people living alone. “The nurses check on their health condition, needs and arrange medical visits or appointments for them, if necessary,” says Starchenko.
Remaining Vigilant
As the days become colder the epidemiological situation is becoming more serious in neighbouring countries, including Belarus and Russia. Belarus Red Cross Society has printed posters, book marks and calendars. Campaign materials are ready for distribution just on time,” says Alexandra Makarova, IFRC health coordinator in Minsk. “In Belarus the current situation with H1N1 is quite challenging.
In Russia the total number of officially confirmed H1N1 cases is approaching 2,000. According to the Russia's chief health official these cases began noticably increasing in October, traditionally the time for seasonal flu outbreak.
The IFRC is currently supporting seven National Societies in Europe that joined a global campaign and involved in preparing for and responding to risks associated with H1N1.