Singapore Red Cross sends additional S$1.12 million in aid for Ukraine crisis

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Red Cross committed another S$1.12 million towards the Ukraine humanitarian crisis, its third tranche of aid to support refugees.

The donation will focus on medical and first aid supplies, medical equipment and medicine for rare diseases, hygiene products and essentials, the organisation said in a news release on Tuesday (Apr 5).

The latest tranche follows two earlier donations. The first worth US$100,000, arrived in Ukraine on Mar 4 and was distributed by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as part of their ongoing efforts.

A second tranche, worth S$2.4 million, was made on Mar 10 to assist Ukrainians in the country and across six neighbouring countries – Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.

This brings the total aid disbursement to S$3.66 million, the Singapore Red Cross said.

In addition to sending aid, a two-person team was also deployed to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries that are hosting most of the refugees to oversee the humanitarian response and aid distribution, and to explore opportunities to expand operations. These countries include Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia.

The team arrived in Hungary on Monday and will be “working closely with humanitarian partners on the ground to support the fast-growing refugee crisis”, the Singapore Red Cross said.

It also said it committed another tranche of US$100,000 to the Ukrainian Red Cross to support its response to affected communities within the country. This includes the distribution of items such as medicines, first aid kits, food, hygiene products.

This portion of donations follows the devastation of communities, which increased the need for humanitarian support, it said, adding that the Ukrainian Red Cross has “scaled up its response under very challenging circumstances”.

This latest tranche of aid “reflects our utmost priority, which is to help the most vulnerable persons, including children and youth, women with infants and young children, the elderly, patients with rare diseases and persons with disabilities”, said Singapore Red Cross Secretary-General and CEO Benjamin William.

“Besides supporting the provision of immediate relief aid, we will continue to focus on addressing basic needs, emergency shelter, protection, health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and psychosocial support.”

The Singapore Red Cross is also in close contact with the Ukrainian Club in Singapore, Ukrainians living in Singapore, as well as Singaporeans living in and around Ukraine to facilitate its work on the ground.

The Singapore Red Cross and the Ukrainian Club are working in collaboration to deliver up to 3,000 medical kits to Ukrainian cities from the borders in Poland.

“This project to deliver medical kits is timely given the huge number of injured civilians requiring urgent medical attention,” said Dr Galyna Kogut, president of the Ukrainian Club Singapore. 

“We hope to continue to collaborate with SRC to facilitate these critical humanitarian response efforts.”

At least 80 people and groups have also stepped forward to raise funds and support the Singapore Red Cross’ public fundraising appeal.

Within five weeks of the appeal that began on Feb 25, more than S$6 million have been raised, the oprganisation said.