Warsaw centre helps fleeing Ukrainians cope with the trauma of war

Julia, a Ukrainian refugee and her son
Julia, a Ukrainian refugee and her son Copyright AP Photo
By euronews
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The majority of Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland.

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A six-storey building in the Polish capital Warsaw has been transformed into a medical centre for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. 

Run by Polish volunteers and staffed by doctors, social workers and psychologists who are themselves Ukrainian refugees, it provides specialist medical attention and psychological care.

Of its 400 patients, half are children. Children face not only the trauma of having fled the war but also the prospect of learning at Polish schools and not yet speaking the language.

Mothers at the centre, like Julia, are also helping to prepare their children to re-enter the educational system.

She says that when that is accomplished she will consider the future. It is her wish to return to Ukraine as soon as safely possible because her partner and family are still there. The desire to return is shared by many of the women at the facility.

Poland, which has a long border with Ukraine, has received the majority of the refugees to have fled since Russia's invasion on 24 February. 

On 16 March, more than 3 million had fled, including 1.85m to Poland, according to the UN's refugee agency.

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