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PCPM Emergency Medical Team to lead newly opened Medical Transit Center at Rzeszow Airport

On September 1, 2022, the Medical Transit Center (MTC) at Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport was opened. Operating under the auspices of the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO), the PCPM Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will run the facility for the sick and injured from Ukraine.

The facility was opened in the presence of Polish and Ukrainian Health Ministers Adam Niedzielski and Viktor Lashko, European Commission (EC) Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic, Podkarpackie Voivodeship Ewa Leniart and Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) President Wojciech Wilk.

‘I am pleased that PCPM has been selected by the European Commission, the World Health Organization and the Ministries of Health of Poland and Ukraine as a partner to run the medical transit center. Our task is to provide adequate care to patients who travel from Rzeszow airport for treatment in European Union countries. In the medical transit center, we have prepared 20 beds for patients and additional places for their family members. Medical evacuation planes can only stay on the Rzeszow airport tarmac for about an hour, making it necessary to gather all the patients in one place so that the loading of passengers can take place efficiently and quickly’ -said PCPM President on opening day.

Patients from Ukraine staying at the MTC will be taken twice a week by plane from the Rzeszow airport for treatment to other countries in Europe. Patients are treated not only in EU countries, but also outside the EU, including Norway, where, as Niedzielski stressed at the conference, the largest number of Ukrainian patients have been taken so far.

‘(Thanks to previous cooperation) almost 1,200 patients (from Ukraine) have already been sent to countries in western Europe for treatment, and more will be added every day. (…) to continue this assistance, we needed such a center where patients could wait for medical evacuation planes’ the EU commissioner said. ‘(This facility) is a perfect example of European solidarity with Ukraine. I assure you that you can count on this solidarity for as long as it is needed’ – He added, addressing Ukraine’s Health Minister.

The facility, which consists of two halls, has 20 beds waiting for patients leaving Ukraine for treatment in the EU and 30 places for their family members. In addition, there are a second 20 beds for patients and 20 places for family members for patients returning to Ukraine after treatment in the Community. All medical evacuations will be carried out within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism – a platform for countries to work together to prepare for, prevent and respond to natural or man-made disasters. In addition to the 27 EU countries, the system also includes the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey.

Funded with money from the European Union, the Medevac Hub Jasionka Medical Transit Center near Rzeszow will initially operate for 6 months – until February 2023

The PCPM Emergency Medical Team is the first and only medical team of its kind in Poland and this part of Europe, certified by the WHO as a so-called Type 1 Emergency Medical Team – EMT. It is one of seven such teams in the world operating at non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

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