Dmytro Shymkiv about drugs availability situation

Comments by Dmytro Shymkiv, Chairman of the Darnitsa Group Board of Directors

As we receive a lot of requests for medicines from hospitals, pharmacy chains, volunteers, citizens, etc. during the entire period of these hostilities, I decided to sit down and describe the situation that has developed.

Before the war, the Ukrainian market of medicines had all the necessary nomenclature and reserves. In December 2021, the entire distribution channel was overflowing with medicines (such is a commercial tradition long time practiced), the consumption of medicines in pharmacies during January and February was very high, and the chain's stocks were actively replenished by manufacturers.

When the war broke out, the supply of medicines did not evaporate, but there happened the following:

– There was a need in intensive care drugs for hospitals (injuries, polytrauma, etc.) and just these very needs of all hospitals, without exception, were covered by Darnitsa from the first hours of the war, almost all at its own expense. Now "Darnitsa" and "Yuria-Pharm" are reliably covering this need. The need for blood plasma, as I know, is covered by Biopharma company.

- Some pharmacies were closed because pharmacists and distributors ' employees were evacuated, or they are afraid to hold their pharma stores open (security service absence)

- Drivers who delivered goods are now either in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or in the Territorial Defense units, or some of them have disappeared, sometimes with trucks. Now we ourselves are looking for drivers and vehicles for distributors 

- In pharmacies, there was a rush due to the volunteers who buy medicines in boxes for the Territorial Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine (boxes further deposited at the warehouses of military units), and a rush due to patients anxiety, these buying additional packs for a "rainy day". This causes a frenzied outflow of products from a limited number of pharmacies, the rapid replenishment of which is not always possible.

- Geographically, the consumers demand has shifted even more to Western Ukraine due to the movement of a large number of people there

- For certain foreign-made medicines, warehouses in Ukraine, unfortunately, remained closed, and they should be forcibly opened and start transferring medicines to Ukraine, but not bring them from Europe or the United States.

Now Ukraine has ALL the necessary generics. A large number of generic are produced by us and other companies in Ukraine. The problem is not with their availability as we have in our warehouse a stock of products for 2 months of consumption throughout Ukraine.

Dear volunteers, I address to you, that's what we need now:

- Pharmacists are needed in pharmacies and distributors' warehouses (we are now in dialogue with pharmacy chains and are ready to send our employees to help, another pharma companies can do the same)

- Drivers and vehicles that will start transporting products from distributors' warehouses across the country (preferably large trucks). I already have a whole department engaged in such searching.

- Those manufacturers that have closed the enterprises, these words are to you: resume your work, our guys at the front are in much more difficult situation Do like we in Darnitsa! Open warehouses, load the cargoes.

- We need medicines of innovative origin (protected with patents, limited volume, etc.), in particular in the range of international pharmaceutical companies that continue to operate in Russia. The Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine knows these needs and is ready to coordinate the activities.

- Hospitals can buy products directly from distributors and manufacturers as the Ministry of Public Health already has a solution t this issue. The Treasury operates the transactions without delays.

- Tactical medicine for the military. If you want to buy more CELOX, acting like "Darnitsa" (we have already bought 10,000) – write to me and we'll arrange that. There are a lot of clear and understandable requests: turnstiles, harnesses, military medic tools. But these products manufacturers are almost missing in our country.

- Please do not sweep out all medicines in small bulk from pharmacies; think about the people who live near the pharmacy, and who may need these medicines tomorrow.

Please, don't order everything in a row, spending donors' funds on the products already available in Ukraine. It is better to buy people food, clothing, unique and rare medicines, medical devices (bandages, harnesses, etc.), tactical medicine, military equipment, and so on. Involve professional doctors and pharmacists, communicate with the chief Doctors of hospitals.

Our team is ready to process orders and ship the Darnitsa products as before and now continues to do! Much faster and wise will be carring out logistic dispatching from warehouses in Ukraine than arranging corridors and logistics from Europe.