>> VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN
UKRAINE NEED IMMENSE MEDICAL
CARE, BUT THEY ALSO NEED BASIC
HEALTH CARE. SOME
ORGANIZATIONS ARE PROVIDING
BOTH AMONG THEM DOCTORS
WITHOUT BORDERS OR MADE SENSE
OF FAULT HERE AS IT'S KNOWN IN
FRENCH THE GROUP STARTED IN
1971 WITH 13 DOCTORS AND
JOURNALISTS. NOW IT HAS MORE
THAN 45,000 MEMBERS HELPING
10'S OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
OVER THE YEARS. DOCTORS
WITHOUT BORDERS HAS HALTED ITS
NORMAL ACTIVITIES IN UKRAINE.
NOW IT'S FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY
RESPONSE OPERATIONS. THE GROUP
IS PROVIDING MEDICAL SUPPORT
AND DONATIONS TO FACILITIES
ACROSS UKRAINE AND TO SOME
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES NEAR THE
BORDER. JOINING US NOW IS
AVRIL BENOIT. SHE'S THE
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
COORDINATOR FOR DOCTORS
WITHOUT BORDERS IN UKRAINE HAS
BEEN WELCOME. GOOD TO HAVE YOU
WITH US. WE HAVE TRIED TO
SPEAK TO YOU. WE HAVE TRIED TO
SPEAK TO YOU NOT TOO LONG AGO.
I KNOW WE HAD TO. POSTPONED
THOSE PLANS BECAUSE THERE WAS
AN AIR RAID SIREN AT THE TIME
AND WE KNEW THAT IT WAS UNSAFE
FOR US TO TALK TO YOU THEN. SO
I WONDER NOW HOW YOU'RE
FEELING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT
IN WHICH DOCTORS WITHOUT
BORDERS IS OPERATING 2 THINGS
FEEL AS PERILOUS AS THEY DID
BEFORE. ARE THEY STARTING TO GET BETTER. HOW IS IT RIGHT
GET BETTER. HOW IS IT RIGHT
NOW?
>> WELL, WE DO HAVE AIR RAID
SIRENS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN
DIFFERENT PLACES. AND SO EVEN
FOR THOSE OF US US WHO ARE IN
RELATIVELY SAFE. PLACES LIKE
LVIV IN THE WHEN THEY GO OFF,
YOU'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE WORK.
ALL RIGHT. BECAUSE REALLY
THERE IS SOME SORT OF A STRIKE
NEARBY. REALLY IT'S FOR MY
CALL. THAT ARE CLOSER TO THE
CONTACT LINE CLOSER TO THE
FRONT LINES WHERE WE WE HAVE A
LOT OF CONCERNS JUST A COUPLE
OF DAYS SO FOR MY COLLEAGUES
WERE AND MAKE A LION.
>> WHAT?
>> THEY WERE VISITING A
HOSPITAL AND CLUSTER BOMBS
BEGAN FALLING RIGHT AROUND THE
HEART. WHERE THEY WHERE THEY
TOOK SHELTER. THEY ARE SAFE.
BUT OTHER PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED
KILLED AND IT DOES REMIND US.
SO THE RISKS OF DOING
HUMANITARIAN WORK IN A WAR
ZONE.
>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW DOCTORS WITHOUT
BORDERS WORKS WHEN THERE IS A
CRISIS SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
DO YOU COORDINATE WITH LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS WITH WITH JUST
DOCTORS ON THE GROUND AND SEA
WILL SHOW UP TO TO WORK WITH
YOU IS IT IS A COORDINATION
WITH LOCAL DOCTORS. DO YOU
BRING YOUR OWN DOCTORS.
EXPLAIN HOW THE ORGANIZATION WORKS. FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT
WORKS. FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT
KNOW HOW YOU DO WHAT YOU DO.
>> WE ARE AN INTERNATIONAL
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL
HUMANITARIAN AID ORGANIZATIONS
WERE NOT FUNDED BY GOD
GOVERNMENTS. WE DON'T HAVE A
FORMAL STATUS LIKE THE UNITED
NATIONS OR THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS.
SWEAR NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION. SO WHAT WE DO IS
OFFER WE WE APPROACH.
APPROACH. ALL THE PARTIES TO A
THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE
ADMINISTRATIVELY FOR AN AREA
COMMUNITY LEADER. THERE'S AND
CERTAINLY MEDICAL HEALTH
AUTHORITIES AND WE TALK TO
THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS. WE DO
INDEED. THIS ESSENCE AND THEN
WE TRY TO DISCUSS AND WORK IN
COLLABORATION. IT IT CASE IN UKRAINE WITH MORE OFTEN THAN
UKRAINE WITH MORE OFTEN THAN
NOT. BUT THEY HAVE. YOU MIGHT
HAVE NEED FOR MEDICAL
SUPPLIES. THEY MIGHT HAVE THE
SUMS. SPECIAL LIGHTS TO HOW TO
DO SURGERY FOR WAR. AFFECTED
TRAUMA. MASS CASUALTY PLANNING
A TRIAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE
ALSO HAVE BEEN DOING MEDICAL
ROOM FOR WELL, AS ON A TRAIN
BECAUSE THAT UKRAINE IS HUGE
COUNTRY IN THE EAST. THE
HOSPITALS ARE QUITE OVER
BURDENED. AND THERE'S A HUGE
PRESSURE ON THEM AND ON JUST
ABOUT ALL THE AUTHORITIES TO
TRY TO EVACUATE. PEOPLE TO
SAFER PLACES, ESPECIALLY
PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK INJURED OR
OTHERWISE VULNERABLE SUCH AS
ELDERLY, PEOPLE ARE YOUNG
CHILDREN AND SO WE HAVE THIS
WEEK OPERATING A MEDICAL OR
FOR FULL TRAIN, WHICH HAS
DOCTORS AND NURSES ON BOARD IN
ORDER TO DO THOSE 20 TO 24
HOUR JOURNEY SAID THE COUNTRY.
2 HOSPITALS THAT ARE IN A
BETTER POSITION TO LOOK AFTER
THE PATIENTS.
>> YEAH. I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE
OF THOSE TRAINS TOOK PATIENTS
PARTIES, WHICH IS IN THE EAST
KIND OF THE SOUTHEAST OF
UKRAINE. WE'RE MEMBERS OF ARE
FROM AN ATTACK THAT STARTED A
FIRE NEAR A NUCLEAR PLANT.
THEY'RE THE LARGEST PLANT IN
UKRAINE WEST TO THE VIVE. HOW
IS THAT GOING AND HOW THE
PATIENTS DOING.
>> WELL, IT'S ONE OF OUR
ACTIVITIES THAT UNDER A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE
BECAUSE EVEN JUST TODAY. THE
UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT. ADVISED
PEOPLE IN THOSE REGIONS IN THE
EAST, BLAST HEINZ CO BLACKS TO
EVACUATE BECAUSE THEY WERE
EXPECTING MILITARY OPERATIONS
TO BECOME SO DANGEROUS FOR
CIVILIANS THAT THEY SHOULD
REALLY GET OUT OF THE WAY.
THEY IF THEY COULD REALLY
EVACUATE. AND SO WHAT ENDED UP
HAPPENING IS A LOT OF
HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN CONTACTING
US SAYING IT. WE HAVE
PATIENTS. CAN YOU TAKE THEM
CAN YOU TRANSPORT THEM TO
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. SO
IT'S BEEN A QUITE A HARROWING
AND A STRESSFUL SITUATION
BECAUSE FIRST WE CAN'T TAKE
EVERYBODY. WE DON'T REALLY
HAVE TOO LITTLE CARS TO KILL
TRAIN CARS AND SO TEAM IS
DOING THINGS. MARATHON RUNS
NONSTOP AND IT. IT IT DIDN'T
WEIGHS HEAVILY ON US BECAUSE,
OF COURSE WE'D LIKE TO DO
MORE. AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND
OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS WE'VE
BEEN GETTING UP. A LONGER
TRAIN THAT WOULD THE MEDICALLY
QUITE TO THE LEVEL OF AN. AND
THE CARE UNIT. BUT CLOSE
ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
PATIENTS WHO ARE MORE
CRITICALLY WOUNDED OUT THOSE A RISKY AREAS. THOSE HOSPITALS
RISKY AREAS. THOSE HOSPITALS
THAT. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
LOOKING AFTER PATIENTS TO
HOSPITALS THAT HAVE MORE
CAPACITY IN THE WEST.
>> I DO WANT TO KNOW, BY THE
WAY, FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING
AT SOME OF THE GRAPHICS THAT C
M S F THAT'S MADE SENSE OF
FORT HARE. THAT'S DOCTORS
WITHOUT BORDERS IN FRENCH THE
FRENCH VERSION OF THE GROUP'S
NAME. I KNOW WE'RE HAVING SOME
CONNECTION TROUBLE WITH YOU
AND I KNOW I HAVE TO LET YOU
GO IN JUST A SECOND. BUT I DO
WONDER HOW YOUR DOCTORS ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW. I CAN IMAGINE
THAT PART OF THIS IS JUST SORT
OF BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE AND
THEN PART OF THIS IS THE FACT
THAT LIFE GOES ON AND WE'RE
STILL DEALING WITH COVID AND
THERE ARE BABIES ARE STILL
BEING WORN AND THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO STILL HAVE
HEADACHES AND NECK ACHES THAT
MEAN TYLENOL AND IBUPROFEN WE
WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION
AMONG OUR TEAM NOT TOO LONG
AGO ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH NEEDS
AND WOMEN WHO MAY NEED
FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS IN A
TIME OF WAR. I CAN ONLY
IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TRYING
TO HELP PEOPLE JUST CONTINUE
TO LIVE THEIR LIVES AS THEY'RE
DEALING WITH ALL OF THESE
BATTLEFIELD CRISES HOW IS THAT
GOING? JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE
AND OVERALL SENSE OF MEDICAL
NORMALCY IN UKRAINE RIGHT NOW.
>> THERE'S THERE'S NO DOUBT
THAT A LOT OF THE A LOT OF THE
EFFORT IN FROM THE UKRAINIAN
MEDICAL AUTHORITIES SIDE ON
THE WAR WOUNDED AND WE ARE.
>> I MEAN, THAT.
>> ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH
CHRONIC DISEASES JUST TO GIVE
ONE EXAMPLE OR THOSE WITH THE.
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES,
ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE
STRESS, THE ANXIETY, THE
DEPRESSION, THE SEPARATION,
THE UNKNOWN OF THE FUTURE.
WE'RE FINDING THOSE TO BE 2
AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE
TO BRING SOME ADDED VALUE IT
WITH FOCUSING ON THOSE. BUT
WITHOUT A YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE
THAT ARE IN THOSE ENCIRCLED IS
OF GRAVE CONCERN TO ALL OF US.
WE HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DOING
SOME ABOUT CLINIC AND SOME
SHELTER AREAS AND YOU HAVE THE
FULL GAMUT THAT YOU MENTIONED
WITH PEOPLE.
>> WHO ARE EXTREMELY
VULNERABLE WORN DOWN AND ARE
REALLY ARE REALLY FEELING
WEEKEND BY THE WHOLE
EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY
BUT MENTALLY. SO SO THAT'S
WHERE WE'RE JUST EYE TO TO
KEEP OUR MOTIVATION UP. THE
ENERGY THERE TO BE ABLE TO
WORK AS QUICKLY AS CAN TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN SCHOOL.
>> YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, I DO
HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
FORGIVE ME. I KNOW YOU NEED TO
GET MOVING, BUT VERY BRIEFLY,
WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR VOLUNTEERS
FOR DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS.
WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR RUNS TOWARDS THE BULLETS AND
TOWARDS THE BULLETS AND
TOWARDS THE WAR ZONE.
>> WELL, WE WE FIND A LOT OF.
>> WORK OR EMERGENCY POSITION.
SO THOSE WHO ARE USED TO
WORKING IN THE ER WE ALSO HAVE
PEOPLE WITH OBSTETRICS PILLS,
INFECTIOUS DISEASE, TROPICAL
MEDICINE. THESE ARE SOME OF
THE AIR AREAS WHERE TYPICALLY
AROUND THE WORLD. FIND PLENTY
OF WORK FOR THOSE KIND OF THE.
OUR SPECIAL TEAMS. BUT LOOK AT
A GENERAL PHYSICIAN. A PRIMARY
CARE PHYSICIAN WITH ALL-ROUND
SKILLS WHO ALSO KNOWS HOW TO
DELIVER BABIES CAN REALLY MAKE
A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND THE
NURSES AND DON'T FORGET, WE
ALSO LOOK FOR NON-MEDICAL
PEOPLE TO DO A FINANCE
MINISTRATIONS HR GETTING
ABOUT, BUT IT'S GOING REQUIRE
A LOT OF THIS CAN DO. YOU KNOW
HOW AND AND SO REALLY IT TAKE
A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE. BUT
HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS INTO
PLACE.
>> YEAH. A LOT OF I'M SURE
VERY BRAVE AND VERY CARING
PEOPLE TO DO THIS KIND OF
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT WORK
EVERY BENOIT FROM DOCTORS
WITHOUT BORDERS. APPRECIATE
YOU MAKING TIME. THANK YOU