Retirement isn’t how 62-year-old Olga Dziuba envisaged it. A renowned urban architect in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, she had recently retired and looked forward to spending her twilight years in her beautiful home. Her daughter, a doctor, lived close by with her husband and children, and the extended family would often gather for family meals and events. Her youngest grandson, Gacha, had been born prematurely and his underdeveloped lungs meant he needed regular care, but he was making good progress. Life was good.
This peaceful existence was ripped apart when her homeland erupted into full scale war on 24 February 2022. Odesa, previously a holiday destination on the Black Sea, was suddenly a war zone, pounded day and night by airstrikes.
Olga’s daughter, an anaesthetist, knew that her skills were essential in Ukraine for treating patients in need of surgery. Martial law was announced, compelling all men of fighting age to remain in the country, including the children’s father.
But with their home city under attack, the family decided that the safest option was for Olga and the children to leave Ukraine for the duration of the war. With heavy hearts, they said their goodbyes and the tight family unit was ripped apart.
Arriving in Hungary
Olga and her grandsons, Konstantin, now 16, and Gacha, now 6, arrived in Budapest in March 2022. Unable to speak Hungarian, the family’s immediate priority was finding accommodation, schooling for the children, and health care for Gacha’s ongoing lung issues. From the start of the war, the Hungarian Government has implemented an open-door policy and strong commitment to grant refugees from Ukraine access to the same level of health care as Hungarian citizens. With health information available in Ukrainian and Russian, Olga was able to understand how to access health care, and Gacha has been able to continue his treatment free of charge.
Olga found accommodation in a tiny apartment. A far cry from her spacious home in Odesa, the living room measures 12 square metres, and every spare centimetre is used to its full potential. Gacha has an area where he keeps colourful fish in a tank, Olga has her bed and a cupboard, and Konstantin has his desk. Despite the cramped conditions, they know that their situation is far better than the circumstances endured by their family who have remained in Ukraine.
Adapting to life as a refugee
Gacha enrolled at a Hungarian kindergarten and, quickly learning the language, soon started to make friends. He receives good care for his lung issues. Gacha’s health issues mean that, although he had always been involved in sports, he had to try much harder than his peers. This determination to succeed has driven him forward, and he now swims competitively. He is part of a swim team and benefits from the mentorship of his coach, who is like a father figure to him. “Gacha receives everything he needs here in Hungary. He has health care, he attends a very good school, and he benefits from sports training. It is all provided free of charge, which is very helpful for us,” explains Olga.
However, adapting to life as a refugee has been complicated for 16-year-old Konstantin. Aged just 12 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut schools, he began studying online. Konstantin was already 14 when the war started and he chose to continue his studies online, believing that the war would be short-lived. “The hardest part is having nobody to talk to apart from my grandmother,” explains the teenager. “Honestly, I have become an indoor person. It has become difficult for me to engage with people I don’t know. I miss my old friends and family so much, but I don’t want to go out, not with other Ukrainians my age, nor Hungarians.”
Parenting once again
Konstantin’s situation is also difficult for Olga. A naturally sociable person, although she longs for her homeland, she is determined to make the best of her situation. Nongovernmental organizations offer a chance to socialize and attend classes to help with social integration. The apartment is decorated with brightly coloured artwork that Olga creates at art classes, and she attends yoga classes, recognizing that she needs human connection to keep her spirits up.
Once a week, she meets with a psychologist who encourages her to speak about her problems and fear. “I raised my children and until 2 years ago I was still working,” says Olga. “Then everything changed overnight. Now I find myself acting as a parent once again, which is not easy as I feel even more responsible for them than if I was their parent. My psychologist says that tears cleanse our souls like water cleanses our body. So sometimes I allow myself to cry, and I feel better.”
Every news bulletin carries worry, and her fears were realized in September 2023 when her son-in-law, the children’s father, was involved in a bomb attack. Fortunately, he survived his injuries and was sent for rehabilitation. While he was in recovery, Olga and the children travelled to Ukraine for 5 days to be reunited with her daughter and son-in-law.
2 years ago, they never would have foreseen that their close family unit would still be fragmented by the war that grinds on without end. Olga explains the challenges they face. “Sometimes I feel guilty being here, in a world where the war in my country is just another news story, while my children live in danger. But when I feel hopeless and sad, I remind myself that my daughter saves lives as a doctor, and my mission is to keep her boys alive.”
The current estimate is that there are approximately 65 000 Ukrainian refugees in Hungary, of which over 41 000 have applied for protection schemes. There have been over 4.3 million border crossings from Ukraine to Hungary since the start of the war.
The national health systems of many refugee-receiving countries are providing services to large numbers of displaced people. To help countries to manage the situation, WHO is working with national authorities. To continue its support, last October, WHO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) kicked off a new joint 2-year project aiming to improve access to health-care services for refugees and displaced people from Ukraine. Backed by 4 million Euro from the 2023 EU4Health programme, the 3 agencies are combining their technical expertise to continue to support countries and strengthen their health systems.