UK medical aid donations to Ukraine hits 5 million items
Over 5 million medical items now donated to Ukraine including lifesaving medicines, wound packs and intensive care equipment, as UK leads humanitarian response.
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Latest shipment left Birmingham on Thursday morning with thousands of supplies, including ventilators following an urgent request from Ukraine
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Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Foreign Secretary affirm UK’s commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine
The UK has now donated to Ukraine 5.29 million items of medical supplies to help the country cope with the medical emergency caused by the Russian invasion, helping to save tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives.
The 13th flight carrying items including ventilators and other medical supplies following an urgent request from Ukraine left Birmingham airport this morning (Thursday 31 March) destined for Poland, from where the items will be transported to sites across Ukraine.
The flights have left from Stansted, Birmingham and Heathrow airports and RAF Brize Norton over the last month, carrying items including lifesaving medicines, intensive care equipment and wound packs donated by NHS England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
On Wednesday, the 12th flight left from Heathrow airport carrying hundreds of thousands of items and medicines critical for surgery and healthcare, including adrenaline, tourniquets and cannulas.
The UK government has been working closely with Ukrainian officials to deliver targeted support to ensure medical items are reaching the people who need them most, including Kyiv and Lyiv.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said:
The appalling atrocities inflicted on the Ukrainians by Putin’s evil attacks are causing untold misery to millions of people.
The invasion has created a medical emergency and the UK has acted swiftly to give our Ukrainian friends the medical support they need which has helped save tens of thousands of lives.
The UK will continue to stand with the remarkable people of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s horrendous invasion.
The 5 million milestone of medical items donated to Ukraine forms part of the government’s wider humanitarian response to this emergency.
Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, said:
The UK is continuing to play a leading role in the response to Russia’s unprovoked attacks on the Ukrainian people, with UK aid supplies flowing into Ukraine and its border regions.
From medicines and equipment, to food, generators, blankets and hygiene kits, we are working with the government of Ukraine, our trusted humanitarian partners and friends in the region to help those most in need.
Some of the significant items sent to the Ukraine so far include:
- nearly 3,000 adult resuscitators
- around 220,000 wound care packs
- over 550,000 sterile needles
- over 50,000 packs of bandages
- 1,600 pieces of equipment for ventilators
- over 75,000 cannulas
- around 380,000 packs of medicines – around 2.8 million doses – including antibiotics and painkillers
- 72,000 packs of gloves
- 28,000 FFP3 masks
On Tuesday, 3 trucks left for the region carrying wound care packs, syringes and bandages. A further truck left on Wednesday afternoon.
Medical aid donations have formed just part of the wider ongoing support from the UK government. Earlier this month 21 Ukrainian children with cancer were flown to the UK, all of whom are receiving lifesaving treatment from the NHS. The government also announced that Ukrainians fleeing their home country will be guaranteed free access to NHS healthcare, including hospital services, GP and nurse consultations, urgent care centres and injury units.
As of Tuesday 29 March, 22,100 visas have been granted through the Ukraine Family Scheme and, for those with valid Ukrainian passports, the government has removed the need to attend an in-person appointment to conduct biometric checks before travelling to the UK.
Since the Homes for Ukraine scheme launched on Monday 14 March more than 150,000 people have expressed interest in being sponsors.
The government has provided £400 million in humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine and neighbouring countries since the Russian invasion started, along with defensive anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry.