Key points
- Over 6,400 Ukrainian patients have received treatment abroad.
- The medical evacuation programme covers medical facilities in 33 countries.
- Patients receive treatment for injuries and burns, cancer care, and rehabilitation.
- Almost 4,000 people have already returned to Ukraine after treatment.
- The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the EU, partner countries and the WHO.
- Medical evacuations take place regularly through special hospital hubs.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 6,400 Ukrainian patients have received treatment in medical facilities across 33 countries worldwide under the Ukraine Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) programme.
The initiative is implemented by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine together with the European Union, the governments of partner countries, and with the support of the World Health Organization.
The programme was launched after the start of Russia’s invasion as an emergency mechanism to assist people with severe medical conditions. Over time, it has developed into a large-scale system of international medical cooperation.
Within the programme, patients have the opportunity to receive treatment for injuries and burns, undergo oncology therapy, complex surgeries, rehabilitation, or prosthetic treatment. Some of these services remain limited in Ukraine due to the war, damage to hospitals, and the heavy pressure on the healthcare system.
To date, more than 6,400 Ukrainians have received treatment in medical institutions in 33 countries worldwide. Among them are adults and children who suffered injuries and trauma as a result of the war.
– Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko.
The Ministry of Health coordinates requests for treatment and rehabilitation. Partner countries then determine their capacity to accept patients and the type of medical assistance they can provide. Part of the costs for transportation and treatment is covered by the governments of the countries hosting Ukrainian patients.
As of early 2026, nearly 4,000 patients have already returned to Ukraine after receiving treatment abroad and continue rehabilitation within the national healthcare system.
The Ministry of Health notes that behind every evacuation there is a personal story. Viktoriia, a resident of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, travelled to Norway for a specialised operation after sustaining a severe arm injury. Ukrainian doctors managed to save the limb, but due to serious muscle damage and the development of necrosis, complex surgery abroad was required.
Doctors in Ukraine managed to save my arm, but the muscles were severely damaged and necrosis developed. The operation had to be performed abroad. Now I have metal pins installed to stabilise the bone.
– Viktoriia.
Doctors working in frontline hospitals prepare patients for evacuation every day. According to Oleksandr Tolubaiev, Medical Director of the Mechnikov Hospital, many of them are people with severe facial injuries or complex fractures.
The most memorable cases are when a patient arrives at the hospital after being wounded and no one is left beside them. These are people who leave for treatment without knowing what awaits them, how their lives will unfold, or how they will return and adapt after everything they have been through.
– Oleksandr Tolubaiev, Medical Director of Mechnikov Hospital.
Medical evacuations are carried out through designated hospital hubs that coordinate the process locally. Patients are transported to clinics abroad on a regular basis, often almost every day.
This system helps maintain continuity of treatment and ensures Ukrainians have access to modern medical care despite the war.
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