A new medical evacuation hub has been opened for Ukrainian patients

The new EU Medevac Hub, funded under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, is part of a wider medical evacuation program launched by the European Union in March 2022. The Hub will provide a safe space for patients arriving from Ukraine before they are transported for treatment in a hospital in another European country.

In the hub, patients will have access to 24/7 nursing care, screening tests, vaccinations and psychological support. The hub also aims to facilitate the work of medical personnel who care for particularly sensitive patients coming from Ukraine. The medical evacuation program includes two weekly evacuation flights provided by Norway. Patients are transported from Rzeszów to countries offering further treatment.

- The number of people injured in Ukraine is growing every day and hospitals, already lacking in resources, are having difficulty coping with the situation. At the same time, the destruction of healthcare facilities deprives chronically ill patients of the treatment they need to survive. We cannot leave these people alone. Thanks to the new hub near Rzeszów, the EU will intensify the medical evacuation of Ukrainian patients. The Medevac Hub will play a key role in the rapid transfer of patients to hospitals across Europe. I would like to thank all the countries that have offered to welcome patients from Ukraine and help save their lives. This is a real example of EU solidarity, said Janez Lenarčič.

The ongoing war severely restricts the provision of emergency healthcare in Ukraine, and the influx of refugees has put a strain on hospitals in neighboring countries. To ease the pressure on health systems in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and Slovakia, the EU has started coordinating patient transfers to hospitals across Europe through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. From March 11 this year. 1,143 Ukrainian patients in need of medical evacuation were transferred to 18 European countries, including Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Lithuania, Finland, Poland and Czech. Medevac Hub will also benefit from the support of the World Health Organization and the International Organization for Migration.

- Medevac Hub Jasionka was established to help the citizens of Ukraine. Ukraine will not be left alone in the fight against the Russian aggressor. We take care of patients so that Ukraine can fight for freedom - said Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski.

Since the Russian invasion, the European Commission has established a standard operational procedure for the medical evacuation of displaced persons from Ukraine in need of medical care. Evacuation activities are coordinated through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. They use the new rescEU aircraft for medical evacuation, financed by the EU and operated by Norway. To ensure the safe transfer of patient data, medical records are distributed via the Early Warning and Response System.

Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU coordinates large supplies of drugs and medical equipment to Ukraine. From March to August 2022, the EU also provided assistance from the rescEU medical stockpile and mobilized rescEU reserves from the private sector. The products supplied included drugs, medical equipment, personal protective equipment and hand sanitizers, as well as medical countermeasures, CBRN equipment and materials (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear).

Source: European Commission