Donetsk, Feb 8 - DAN. DPR Donbass people reunification humanitarian programme hotline operators have taken nearly 38,000 calls from residents of Donbass, Ukraine and other countries since late April 2017.

“The hotline registered 31,753 calls out of 37,755 from 27 April 2017 through 7 February 2018,” the Centre for the Humanitarian Programme said on Thursday.

DPR residents made 26,307 calls, residents of Kiev-controlled areas of Donetsk Region 5,205, residents of Ukraine 141 and foreign nationals 267, it said.

The callers mostly ask questions about welfare payments and medical assistance. On top of that, 19 people from Kiev-controlled part of Donetsk Region have contacted the welfare centres located in the vicinity of the crossing points between DPR and Ukraine since the beginning of this year.

On 26 April 2017, DPR launched the humanitarian programme hotline amidst a dramatic increase in requests for assistance. *jk