At Alameda Health System (AHS) the community we serve recently expanded by more than 6,000 miles to Ukraine with a donation of desperately needed antibiotics from Highland Hospital that would have otherwise gone unused. 

“We were absolutely thrilled to be able to contribute to the relief efforts for Ukraine by donating   antibiotics that will directly help the families and front line soldiers,” said Priya Patel, PharmD, system medication safety officer and clinical pharmacy manager. “It was truly a team effort that enabled us to answer the call for donations with a quick turn around.” 

AHS’s participation in this humanitarian effort began when retired AHS breast cancer surgeon Dr. Richard Godfrey, now volunteering with Niles Rotary Club and the Ukraine Liberty Fund reached out to AHS for any unused antibiotics that could be donated.  

Dr. Patel immediately contacted the AHS pharmacy leads and then partnered with Ruth Encarnacion, MD, pharmacist and Mario Duran, pharmacy technician at Highland Hospital to identify antibiotics that were eligible for donation.  

“It was perfect timing because they located antibiotics that AHS could no longer use,” said Patel.  She shared the pharmacy team confirmed there were no regulatory restrictions from donating the unused antibiotics. 

The six boxes of antibiotics collected from Highland Hospital were distributed to a university hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine and to clinics on the front line. “Complete gratitude is the only way to describe how we feel about making this donation possible for the health care workers and people of Ukraine,” said Patel.  It was an honor and privilege to share our mission of caring, healing, teaching and serving all.” 

After more than nine months since it began, we continue to see the impacts of the war in Ukraine and today many are still living without access to food, water, health care and essential supplies. In a crises like this, acts of compassion and generosity can make a big difference.  

If you are looking for ways to support and donate to the people impacted by the war in Ukraine visit: