As a medicines company, to date we have delivered more than 1.3 million packs of antibiotics, painkillers, cardiovascular, and oncology treatments - which amounts to more than USD 33 million in medical aid, to maintain the supply to those who rely on these drugs in Ukraine and in the border areas where people are seeking refuge. This is in addition to an initial USD 3 million donation to charities supporting refugees and displaced people in Ukraine and bordering countries.
Patient organizations (POs) face an unprecedented challenge to deliver their core support services and address pressing additional needs during the war in Ukraine. This includes services such as patient transfer to get treatment abroad, translations of medical reports and patient data and disseminating knowledge of hospitals prepared to admit patients etc. POs are rising to the challenge to ensure the health and safety of their constituents which Novartis is supporting with USD 1 million in aid.
After studying current safety protocols in the country, and on advice which we will regularly review, we have begun to resume business operations remotely to help the war-torn country restore some basic critical business processes.
Our team in Ukraine is eager to come back to their work, and to play their part in maintaining our priority to ensure that those in need of life-changing medicines gain the best possible support from Novartis and Sandoz.
The safety and security of our people remains our number one objective, and we will constantly review the situation and our business operations in Ukraine.