Demand for a concept

“Russians are razing everything to the ground!”

(Bild: Action Press)

After the Russian attack on Ukraine, parts of the largest children's hospital were completely destroyed, explains the President of Ukraine-Hilfe Cornelius Granig. Austrian support in the health sector is urgently needed. The chances of Ukrainian refugees returning home are diminishing by the day.

Granig describes the situation on the ground in the krone.tv interview: "The intensive care unit and a transplant ward have been destroyed and almost all the windows have been broken by the blast wave. Many of the windows were donations from Austria. The City of Vienna donated 200 windows for the hospital, which were installed there. They would now have to be replaced."

It was important that this hospital was an essential component of the Austrian health partnership with Ukraine: "Almost two years ago, Federal Minister Martin Kocher presented a project in which one of the aims was to modernize and improve the hospital."

The brutal attack on the children's hospital does not leave Cornelius Granig indifferent either.(Bild: krone.tv)

(Bild: Action Press)

Call for a concept "until peace comes"
However, this cooperation has not yet begun, explains Granig. Of course, there is a risk that buildings will be destroyed by the war. But: "I think we need a concept for this now. How can we use these funds that were planned, these 600 million euros, to help the Ukrainians and also to help the children?" Accordingly, a medium to long-term concept is needed "until peace comes, so that we can help Ukraine to provide for their children."

In general, healthcare in Ukraine is very poor and many hospitals are outdated. "We need to provide much greater, broader help, especially in the healthcare sector."

The chances of returning to Ukraine are getting worse: "Many parts of the country have been destroyed. The Russians are razing everything to the ground." Landmines are also a problem: "There are already 25,000 landmines, the victims of which are many children who have lost one or two legs and are waiting for a prosthesis." 

Watch the whole talk with Cornelius Granig in the interview above!