Hingham Doctor Headed To Ukraine With 1,500 Pounds Of Medical Supplies
HINGHAM (CBS) -- With every box that Dr. Frank Duggan loads up, he's thinking about the countless lives of Ukrainian people he can help.
"I am going to be seeing a ton of trauma," he said.
Dr. Duggan of Hingham is an emergency trauma physician. The 55-year- old is heading off to Ukraine on Sunday night through a non-profit he established called Health Care Volunteers International. He has spent much of his career traveling the world in some of the most dangerous locations to offer emergency aid to those in need, from natural disasters to now the war in Ukraine.
"We got stuff for hemorrhage control, bandages," Dr. Duggan said.
Approximately 1,500 pounds of medical supplies are now packed and ready to go.
Duggan said through a telemedicine platform, he will be working with a team of doctors from both the U.S. and Ukraine. "I will be setting a clinic that we hope to operate remotely with a doctor in the states supervising some mid levels or physician extenders of there to offload the hospitals. The primary focus is going to be looking at what interventions we can do, prior to the arrival at the hospital, to decrease mortality," he said.
It took a team of family and friends that helped him load the truck, Duggan said.
For now, it's off to Logan Airport and ready to embrace whatever comes his way.
"To get an opportunity where you can have a meaningful impact like that this, I'm really grateful for that.
"For me, it strikes me kind of like World War II. You'd like to think you as good as your grandparents and would go ahead and make a sacrifice and put yourself at risk for the wellbeing of others," he said.
Duggan plans to be over there for at least three weeks before returning back home.