UK to donate fleet of ambulances to Ukraine
A fleet of NHS ambulances will provide urgent care for those injured by Russian attacks in Ukraine following a donation from the UK.
A fleet of NHS ambulances will provide urgent care for those injured by Russian attacks in Ukraine following a donation from the UK.
- UK NHS trusts donating around 20 ambulances to the Government of Ukraine
- donations will help replace Ukrainian ambulances lost to Russian bombardments and provide urgent care to injured
- Ukraine’s health services stretched as Russian attacks hit civilian shelters and hospitals
The donation of around 20 NHS ambulances will help bring vital lifesaving care to Ukrainians remaining in towns and cities under attack from Russian bombardments.
This donation will help replace those Ukrainian ambulances lost to Russian attacks, bolstering the existing fleet’s resilience as the barbaric war goes on.
It is estimated more than 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine.
The conflict has stretched Ukraine’s health services, with Russia’s indiscriminate attacks targeting civilian shelters and even hospitals.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is leading the way, donating four of its ambulances, with further donations from NHS trusts across the country soon to follow.
The first ambulances will arrive in Ukraine this week, destined for Lviv in the west of the country, where they will be transported on to those areas most in need.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:
We have sadly seen day after day the horrific impacts of Putin’s cruel war on the people of Ukraine, including evidence of appalling acts by Russian troops in towns such as Irpin and Bucha.
The UK has been among the biggest aid donors, providing food, medicines and generators to help those affected. These world class NHS ambulances will now help bring lifesaving care directly to those injured in the conflict.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said:
The UK government has stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and provided them with the lifesaving medical equipment they need.
The invasion has damaged key medical infrastructure and the generous donation of four ambulances by South Central Ambulance Service will ensure people in Ukraine can receive urgent care. It marks the first of many ambulances the UK government and the NHS is donating to Ukraine in the coming days
Paul Kempster, SCAS Chief Operating Officer said:
Ambulance Trusts around the country have been rallying to provide ambulances and we in SCAS are immensely humbled to also be able to support those in need in Ukraine.
We hope that this small gesture goes some way to helping provide immediate frontline healthcare support to the many people who desperately need it.
This latest funding and donation comes in addition to the nearly £400 million (£394 million) already pledged by the UK for the conflict in Ukraine, including £220 million of humanitarian aid.
To date, the UK has donated more than 5 million items of medical supplies to Ukraine to help the country cope with the medical emergency caused by the Russian invasion. Last month the UK government also brought 21 Ukrainian children with cancer to receive care through the NHS in England.
Find out more about the UK government’s humanitarian response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Background
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UK NHS trusts have donated ambulances to the Government of Ukraine, following a request from HM Government. The NHS’s national ambulance service fleet strategy requires the replacement of ambulance vehicles every 5 years. After this time, vehicles are decommissioned and either kept back for resilience, given to approved charities or sent to auction. All vehicles and medical supplies are checked before being sent to ensure they meet the standards required.
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To date the UK has donated 5.29 million items of medical supplies to Ukraine, including:
- 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 2.8million doses - including antibiotics and painkillers
- 72,000 packs of gloves
- 28,000 FFP3 masks
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