After the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine nine months ago, health services and facilities there have been badly interrupted and damaged as a result of strikes, a press release from ReliefWeb says.
Emergency medical teams (EMTs) supported by the WHO have been sent to newly reclaimed areas like Kharkiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv to provide acute trauma care and primary healthcare to the local populace. These EMTs are working under the supervision of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Center for Disaster Medicine.
The EMTs, which consist of a doctor, two nurses, a traumatologist, and a driver, have all undergone extensive training and are outfitted with the necessary drugs, supplies, and armored vehicles to respond to medical emergencies.
National EMTs operating in recently reclaimed territories ensure that access to life-saving medical care may continue despite the conflict, according to Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. The objective is to prepare up to 25 EMTs so that they can respond to acute health requirements within a 12- to 24-hour window when they arise. Seven EMTs have been sent to various places across the nation. In order to help with the response, WHO is supplying trainings, medications, ambulances, and other resources.
In coordination with the Ministry of Health, WHO developed the national EMT project’s design in accordance with WHO worldwide standards and guidelines, including those for the creation of operating procedures.
In order to provide patients with the best referral system possible and to make it easier for patients who require urgent medical evacuation outside of Ukraine to do so, six coordination centers will also be set up across the country.
The German Federal Ministry of Health has provided financial support for the EMT initiative. Germany is one of the top donors among Member States, both in terms of mandatory and voluntary donations to the WHO, according to Ms. Anka Feldhusen, the German ambassador to Ukraine.
