The chair of a Swindon-based charity providing aid to Ukraine has responded with disgust to national news reports about the destruction of medical supplies.
According to the reports, which emerged in recent days, the Government is intent on destroying thousands of items including monitors, syringe pumps and ventilators.
They were purchased during the pandemic but were unused and are currently racking up storage costs - prompting the decision to get rid of them.
According to Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, more than 13,000 items have already been destroyed and more than 15,000 are set for destruction.
The news was greeted with outrage by Mike Bowden, chair of Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership, a charity formed in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
SHAP has so far sent almost 2,000 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, including a large quantity of life-saving medical supplies, and also helps Ukrainian people living in the Swindon area who were forced from their homeland by the murderous aggression of Putin's forces.
SHAP has pledged to take every remaining item.
Mr Bowden said: "How could anyone think it's okay to destroy high-quality medical equipment - it speaks to a basic lack of decency.
"Note the justification - to save storage costs. How about saving lives?"
Mr Bowden added: "SHAP want all to know about this, and our offer to take every last piece of this equipment is 100% genuine."
They were purchased during the pandemic but were unused and are currently racking up storage costs - prompting the decision to get rid of them.
According to Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, more than 13,000 items have already been destroyed and more than 15,000 are set for destruction.
The news was greeted with outrage by Mike Bowden, chair of Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership, a charity formed in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
SHAP has so far sent almost 2,000 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, including a large quantity of life-saving medical supplies, and also helps Ukrainian people living in the Swindon area who were forced from their homeland by the murderous aggression of Putin's forces.
SHAP has pledged to take every remaining item.
Mr Bowden said: "How could anyone think it's okay to destroy high-quality medical equipment - it speaks to a basic lack of decency.
"Note the justification - to save storage costs. How about saving lives?"
Mr Bowden added: "SHAP want all to know about this, and our offer to take every last piece of this equipment is 100% genuine."
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