Bus has space for donations of flu remedies; antiseptic wipes, bandages etc.
The latest Ukraine medical rescue vehicle is leaving Algarve tomorrow, and has space onboard for donations of much-needed supplies.
It will be in Lagos between 9am and midday; in Faro from 2pm to 7pm and in Lisbon from 9am on Saturday to 2pm. After that it is en-route for Porto, again in the hope of picking up more supplies, before heading out to the Polish border.
Roman Grymalyuk, chief mechanic, driver and president of the Oranta humanitarian association that has been sending aid out to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country, says everything from flu remedies to other First Aid essentials will be welcomed.
“It’s already winter in Ukraine”, he explains. The conditions in trenches mean lots of soldiers suffer chills and colds/ infections: Ben-u-ron/ C-gripe/ Ibuprofen, all these kinds of over-the-counter treatments will come in useful.
The battlewagon, donated to Oranta by Faro City Council, has been converted into an evacuation vehicle to be used on the frontline. It is just the latest of a string of vehicles converted by Oranta and sent on to Ukraine. The next will be a ‘hospital bus’, equipped with an operating table. But that is looking perhaps a little too far into the future. For now, it is the moment for the send-off of this latest battle bus, in the hope that local people will turn out to wish it well, and bring a few donations with them.
The Lagos location tomorrow is right outside the Town Hall. In Faro, the bus will be in Coreto do Jardim Manuel Bivar – and in Lisbon, on Saturday, it will be parked in Praça dos Restauradores.
natasha.donn@portugalresident.com
