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Céimin Burke reports from the Poland-Ukraine border
THINGS HAVE CHANGED at the small Polish border town of Medyka.
Over 50 days since Russia launched its massive offensive, women and children – often accompanied by pets – continue to stream across the border from Ukraine, bringing with them as much as they can carry.
Volunteers from all over the world offer blankets, food, medicine and transportation to the refugees fleeing Russia’s brutal invasion.
What’s different now though, is that there are as many – or almost as many – people going back, crossing the border in the other direction to return to their homes in Ukraine.
Both groups have different needs as they converge on Medyka, with huge organisations working on the ground – including a number of Irish workers – to help them.
The food and comforts for people leaving Ukraine are gratefully received but most of the travellers barely pause as they power on to the next stop on their journey.
As the temperature dropped late on Easter Sunday I saw a blanket bring a quiet sob from one woman who looked in physical pain from the cold. A rare crack of emotion and a brief break before the journey resumed.
“It’s definitely difficult to see it,” explained Jack from the UK, who is here working with an Italian NGO called Project Hope.
“You see people’s faces as they come in, carrying all that they’ve got on their backs, a few bags or a suitcase. They can be genuinely shivering. Sometimes they’ll have had to queue for seven hours.”
“But it’s also very nice to see so many people coming together, from so many different nationalities, to help a single cause.”
Jack joined friends from college in The Hague, The Netherlands, in running Project Hope’s operation in Medyka. Italian supermarkets donated truck loads of supplies and the group took on the mammoth task of piecing together a massive logistical operation to get it all distributed.
Manfredi Magnano from Catania and Ryan Bever from the US have been on the ground spearheading the operation for several weeks and they have seen a significant shift in the direction people are travelling.
“We’ve definitely seen a slowdown of refugees coming from Ukraine. It’s about half/half now: we see a lot more going back across the border, and also still a lot coming into Poland,” Bever explained.
The exodus has eased since early March, when over 25,000 people would file through the Medyka border crossing each day. But the camp remains very busy with the dramatic uptick in the numbers returning to Ukraine.
While the numbers arriving may have slowed, many are expecting them to increase again as the war develops.
The profile of volunteers has also shifted after the initial phase of the war passed and as authorities became more security conscious.
“When we came here at the beginning, a good half of the people here were independent people that just left everything and came here to help,” Manfredi said.
“They bought a high-vis vest, wrote ‘volunteering Ukraine’ on it and helped how they could. Now for security reasons, [and] organisational [reasons], they’ve cracked down and it’s more full-time organisations.”
Security has also been tightened at the reception centre – housed in a giant ex-Tesco building – in the nearby town of Przemyśl, which was the focus of media attention at the start of the refugee crisis.
American and British voices are regularly heard in the camp along with a plethora of European languages. Several of the tents put their religion or nationality front and centre. There is a strong Sikh presence and Polish, French and Israeli flags are also prominently on display.
One of the largest tents is run by the New Federal State of China, which is opposed to China’s ruling Communist Party. The heated marquee – which is festooned with posters attacking the Chinese government – is popular with passing Ukrainians and volunteers alike for its warmth, food and wifi (complete with a ‘TakedownCCP’ password).
Sure enough there’s Irish here too. Tim from Cork says he was moved to make the journey over after hearing about the scale of the crisis that was unfolding.
“When you get here the impact of it really hits home. There’s been four and a half million refugees and they’re being housed all over Europe. We’re all going to meet them at some point. You’re just moved by it,” he said.
At the border post for vehicles the queue of cars, vans and trucks travelling into Ukraine stretches out of sight, filling three lanes of traffic during the middle of the day.
Pavlo from Kyiv has become an expert on the traffic as, when I meet him by the other side of the motorway in the evening, he has been watching it for ten hours. He’s eagerly scanning for signs of a Subaru Forester, which is carrying his wife back across the border into Poland.
The couple happened to be on holiday in Paris when Vladimir Putin launched his assault on Ukraine. His wife travelled back to Ukraine, while Pavlo stayed in Poland.
A sales manager for Sennheiser in Kyiv before the war broke out, Pavlo and his family now see their future in Krakow, until hostilities cease.
“I don’t know when it will be. We don’t want to go back until it is safe. I never thought he could do it,” he says about the Russian President. “He is so crazy. It’s unbelievable.”
Just as I’m saying goodbye, the eagerly awaited Subaru arrives on the scene. Pavlo doesn’t hide his relief. “Ten hours,” he laughs. He hugs his wife. She smiles and waves. He offers to do the driving. They press on.
Céimin Burke will be reporting from the Poland-Ukraine border for The Journal all this week
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Can’t say I was ever blown away by him, but Simon Harris has been very impressive in the past few weeks. I was definitely one of the people who doubted his credentials when he got the job but I think he has been convincing when talking to the public and this is a very good move for the country and I can’t imagine it was easily done. Fair play.
@ihcalaM: If they got rid of the two tier healthcare system I’d vote FG
@SC: Sadly I suspect that one this is all over we’ll be back to business as usual…
@ihcalaM: the fact that so many countries are doing this shows that the profiteering middlemen and health insurance companies don’t do anything valuable…
@ihcalaM: Talks a good game. Reality is it is still a shambles. 250 intensive care beds available before the couple of dozen private came into force.
Healthcare workers contracting Covid 19 because of lack of essential equipment or guidance.
2000 a day capacity for testing knowing full well this was coming for 2 months and a 40,000 back log already. People waiting a week+(unless you are a pplitician who gets tested and results within 48 hours) including my My partner who is a health worker.
@Jack Inman: you knew this was coming 2 months ago? Good man.
@John fitzpatrick: Anyone with half a brain cell could see this coming. If you didn’t then fair play.
@SC: exactly !!!
@Jack Inman: exactly the same as places like France that everyone looks up to in terms of healthcare!
@Jack Inman: would you mind sending any social media link from before Jan 24th where you predicted this? Btw, this was the day that “The first confirmed incidence of human-to-human transmission outside of China was documented by the WHO”.
@Jack Inman: Nobody “knew full well this was coming for 2 months”, that’s just an absolute falsehood, sorry. Two months ago we were just getting news of early confirmed transmissions coming out of China. Check your dates. We’ve had about a month or so of widespread international concern, and in that time serious preparation has been underway.
@ihcalaM: Don’t fool yourself
Things will never be the same again
Politics as we know it is coming to an end
The Gombeen Man is dying
@ihcalaM: no fear he is helping/testing/treating patients. He is a face for all those putting themselves at risk who will no doubt be long forgotten about when this is all over.
@SC: Of course they do something valuable. They allow people who can to pay for medical treatment, so those who can’t don’t have to.
@Jack Inman: But China’s solving that problem, right?
Fantastic, fair play for sorting this out lads.
@Lisa Saputo: Sorted this out ? He didn’t walk in all guns blazing and take over the private hospitals. We are basically renting their capacity and their staff. Negotiations over money have been going on for about 2 weeks. Sure, we need the capacity, but don’t kid yourself that Harris is some kind of hero. We, you and me, are paying through the nose for this.
Very good move, in fairness. Glad to see this
@JusticeForJoe: add an emergency tax on all citizens worth over 5 million to assist the healthcare system
Tax credits returned over 10 years for those affected by the taxation
@Quentin Moriarty: you must have loads of money to put away like that ha, think we are being taxed enough like the levies on our health insurance premiums the tax at source and all the other indirect taxes we pay so you want us all to just get out the KY.
@JusticeForJoe: are you glad to see it for the medics who now have to work the front line? Easy for you all to talk about it but its us who have to expose ourselves to the virus
@El Poblo Escobar: net worth over 5 million for emergency tax.
Not Joe Bloggs
@Louise Lennon: we all have families to go home to
Simon’s sacrificing his youthful appearance for political gains by the looks of that photo. Doubted him before but I’m delighted with this outcome. Slow and steady interventions at the right times with the people obliging is hopefully going to pay dividends here and flatten the curve.
@Ciarán Ó Fallúin: That must mean the health insurance companies will be handing back the premiums. Happy days indeed
Private hospitals are private companies solely funded by private sources such as health insurance and self payers. The government doesn’t and never has paid for any of their running costs, staffing ect- the patients that use their services pay for it- I really don’t understand why people continue to bash the concept. Private hospitals are entirely separate to the hse. They’re rightly and thoughtfully providing their services during this crisis to the best of their ability- the age old debate of the one tier health system doesn’t have a place today.
@Siobhan McCarthy: not exactly true most consultants are getting paid for working in the hse hospitals while having suites in private hospitals & many procedures are being paid for public patients in private hospitals
@Siobhan McCarthy: so you are ok with the idea of the richer having a better health service than the poorer?
@matthew o reilly: exactly- they’re private companies! The HSE outsource their waiting lists to private hospitals through the national treatment purchase fund at an agreed cost that covers the resources and services used by the patients. Consultant wise- there is a reducing amount still with public and private privileges- this has changed since 2015 but again instead of these consultants being paid by the hse they’re being paid by the patient themselves. Consultants are in themselves a registered company- they effectively rent out operating theatres and clinic space at a cost.
@Eoin Scanlon: completely irrelevant. This is solely about private hospitals providing their services and resources to the public sector during this crisis. It’s nothing to do with the clear inefficiencies of the public system. Even in countries where a more expansive single tier exists such as the nhs in the uk- there is still a private healthcare model.
@Siobhan McCarthy: I want to say I really want the best for my community, honestly, but I pay for 4 people to be covered by private insurance (one of whom I see high risk in this situation) and I am now being denied the benefit I pay for year after year when I actually want it the most. If this is the reality of having private cover in an emergency then what is the point? will the government refund all the BIK as they are removing the Benefit? Am I due some kind d of refund from Laya? People who pay for cover did not design the system but we are all being penalized here. I suppose that is not a popular sentiment here but makes it no less true.
@Siobhan McCarthy:
Well aren’t you a great patriot, glad to see you care about the really important things like private healthcare profits and the right to better healthcare than the filthy poors, instead of silly things like saving lives during a pandemic
@Karl Alldritt: well said. It’s not popular but is a reality and makes you wonder what is the point of paying such high premiums
@Siobhan McCarthy: Sure it works just great in the US where those who can’t afford private health insurance are denied help. Access to quality healthcare is a basic human right and from that position profiting from it is an immoral act. Private healthcare effectively creates a deep inequality between the haves and have-nots. Those private doctors received a public education, didn’t they? Ironically one of the best healthcare systems in the world is Cuba, a socialist state whose top-class doctors were met with a warm reception in Italy where they’re volunteering.
@Eoin Scanlon: I am. You get what you pay for. There will always be a multi-tiered health system. Why do you think people pay for it. Ridiculous
@Siobhan McCarthy: Thoughtfully, eh ? So why the 2 week negotiations over money ? Couldn’t they have “thoughtfully” said “It’s for the public good Simon. Take what you need and just pay cost of staff. We don’t want to profit from a public health emergency” ?
@Karl Alldritt: what I figure will happen is that private hospitals will be taking acute patients from public hospitals in order to alleviate bed pressures and continuing on their treatment plans. This has happened before during extreme bed shortages in particular the flu season. The patients are treated for their acute issue and discharged. I’ll be scrutinised and shot down regardless of what I say here anyway but regarding health insurance- this opening up of private hospitals would be for the treatment of an acute overflow only. It won’t allow your gp to refer you to a private hospital consultant for example. Your health insurance would still work in the same way. I don’t have all the answers nor am I an anti public person!
@Karl Alldritt: I have private health insurance too but I think you’re out of order here. You’re making it sound like this a normal recurring occurance, this is once in a lifetime (hopefully) stuff. I think it’s absolutely appropriate the government take over the private hospitals. I also think we should not be charged for our private health insurance coverage over this period as we won’t be getting a service in this period. I’m actually going tk email vhi and say as much to them now.
That is impressive..
Fair play and well done to all involved. Hats off..
Yet I am still expected to continue to pay for private health insurance even if the benefit does not exist anymore.
@Yggr of Asgard: my thoughts exactly
@Yggr of Asgard: Take it up with your insurer. Private hospitals are open to everyone at all times, you don’t have to have insurance. You can pay them directly if you have the money.
@Yggr of Asgard: Is that what your insurance company said?
Great.
Some good news
Socialism working where capitalism can’t.
@Johnny 5: Luckily our capitalist system has given us the resources and technology to be able to tackle this crisis. Before the industrial revolution it was a given that masses of people would die from infectious disease, malnutrition and famine etc.
@Johnny 5: how do you work that out from this simple measure that hasn’t even been implemented?
We have a public system and a private system, so this is a failure of the public system to cope and “capitalism” is stepping in to help. This hospital wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the private demand.
Or do I have it wrong?
@Damon16: Yep. According to classical Marxism, socialism comes after capitalism. They take the good stuff from the capitalist era and leave the rest behind. I’d like a socialist economic system with traditional Irish values- not Soviet or Chinese values.
@Johnny 5: Thats because you’re in a socialist democracy as opposed to a socialist state . If you were in a socialist state the Irish government wouldn’t be able to borrow money .
@milton friedman:
The private hospitals turned corona patients away, referred them to public hospitals. The public sector “fails” because the private sector only takes the nice juicy bits
@milton friedman: No need for private if public services were properly funded and governed.
Seize the means comrade
How much compo to Dinny I wonder? Correct move though.
so will nurses in larry Goodman’s hospitals who are on less wages than the hse be put on hse wage.I dont think so
@matthew o reilly: Larry Goodmans hospital, please explain, thanks
@Michael Byrne: hermitage,clinic,galway clinic & blackrock clinic over 50% charge holder
@matthew o reilly: share holder
@matthew o reilly:
They’re paid the same as public hospital nurses. Check your facts.
@Doug: there not hermitage clinic took 7% off nurses during the recession never returned it fact.
@Doug: we’re not actually, work in a private hospital that has recently balloted (Pre COVID) for industrial action in order to receive the pay restoration being paid to HSE nurses and not in said private hospital even though we allegedly follow the HSE scales of pay
Are VHI going to adjust their fees now they cant supply a service
@DeWitt:
Not a chance. And funny uou should bring it up, private hospitals were turning corona patients away. VHI, laya, Irish life, all were useless if you had them.
Headline should read ‘FFG Neo-Liberal Mantra reverses as reality bites’
Its a given in most countries
@MickN: Such as?
@Damon16:A quick google will show you, il give you 2 to get you started, France and Spain… Like I said done and dusted in other countries yet we should all give praise to our great leader lord Harris for catching on late
Credit where credit is due, never thought I’d see the day when a blueshirt did something like this. Should have been sooner but better late than never.
Can we keep it this way after that? Please? Pretty please!?
People need to think about the cost of this. The private hospitals won’t be turning over their facilities for free.
It’s great, but not something we could afford on an long term basis.
We need private hospitals where those who can afford to pay can go, then keep the public hospitals free of private patients and stop consultants in public hospitals seeing private patients there.
Excellent care for all ppl of Ireland. But what about existing staff working in the private hospitals. Will they be put out of work??
Private Hospital’s are going to love this
More money and services taken from taxpayer and handed to the people who give nothing. Should just go on the dole, medical card, hasp etc….this country would sicken your hole
@Almight Joe: only about a third of our revenue is income tax and most income tax comes from the very wealthy. Also our state barely balances the books. So unless you are extremely well off, you get far more from the state in services than you pay in income tax.
@SC: Most income tax comes from the €40-€70k mark, they represent the overwhelming majority of taxpayers. Our state barely balances the books because there are too many incentives to not work and too many people on handouts like I mention above
I am waiting to hear some good news, like all the useless members of the royal oireachtas have gone on a one way trip to a hot place.
He means that the same government that was never able to manage public hospitals are going to manage public AND private hospitals for the benefit of everyone? Sounds like a plan.
Did any one hear the guy on Ivor Gates radio programme mannn he went ballistic on this .
@Angela Godfrey Maher: No. Details please.
Does that mean they will also be working through the long waiting list for things like the HSE pediatric pain and ENT consultants’ lists? No letter should ever have to be sent asking if your child still requires an appointment with a pediatric pain consultant after a year of waiting on a list. I’m still waiting a year and a half after being referred to see a consultant for something that may now be irreversible. If you are paying into a service, there is an expectation of actually getting a service. Starting to feel like ”you get what you pay for” is the phrase that fits. (DISCLAIMER: This is in no way an attack on individual medical professionals. It is an attack on the system those people are professionals in.)
Great news. Showing some balls against big business for once
Health minister did i hear the mob chanting his name again and again, barabas, barabas, barabas.
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