EC: 2000 Ukrainian patients transferred to European hospitals since start of war
Since the start of Russia’s February 2022 war on Ukraine, more than 2000 Ukrainian patients have been transferred to receive specialised care in hospitals across Europe via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission (EC) said on March 23.
To ease the burden on Ukrainian hospitals, the EU has been coordinating regular medical evacuations of Ukrainian patients, be they chronically ill or injured by the war, for more than a year, the EC said.
The patients have been transferred for treatment to hospitals in 20 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The evacuations are further supported by the EU Medevac Hub in Rzeszów where patients receive 24/7 nursing care. The hub serves as a transfer centre for patients who have been transported from Ukraine to Poland by land, and who from the hub will be airlifted to hospitals across Europe.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, said: “The brutal Russian invasion has caused huge damages to the Ukrainian health system, putting the health and lives of Ukrainian citizens at risk.
“For more than a year now, to support Ukrainians in need of treatment, patients have been transferred to hospitals in European countries and Norway to receive care as well as me mental health and trauma support,” Kyriakides said.
“I would like to express my admiration for the commitment and professionalism of the emergency medical teams from Ukraine and EU bordering countries that ensure the patients’ safe transfer to the EU. This joint work will continue, as will our support to Ukraine – for as long as it takes,” she said.
(Photo: Clay Banks/Unsplash)
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