Elmira Ismailova has been working as an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Zaporizhzhia Regional Perinatal Center. 

Zaporizhzhia is located close to the front line, and part of the Zaporizhzhia region is under the control of Russian armed forces. According to the doctor, due to this situation, the need for medical assistance among the population in this area is rapidly increasing. 

"We are the only facility in the region providing medical assistance to  survivors of gender-based violence, both adults and minors, 24/7. We collaborate with legal authorities and social services. Additionally, at the admission area as well as at the consultation & diagnostic units you can find informational materials about gender-based and domestic violence, including contacts for assistance," shares Elmira.

"The hospital has a barrier-free gynecological office for women with disabilities,  survivors of violence, and internally displaced women. The office is equipped with modern facilities, including a transforming chair, to provide assistance to women from low-mobility groups. Here, they receive qualified, confidential, and free consultations from psychologists and obstetrician-gynecologists 24/7," shares the medical provider.

 

"When it seems like everything is going wrong, like there’s no way out, and then you hear patients' stories of rescue, you realize that as long as you and your loved ones are alive, everything else can be resolved. When patients come to you with a problem and you can help, treat, operate, guide, or even simply listen, you rejoice together with the patient," says Elmira.

Barrier-free gynecological rooms operate as part of the humanitarian response activities of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, with financial support from the European Union, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Canada, France, and the Republic of Korea.