Medical Humanitarian Programme MEDEVAC

MEDEVAC is a permanent government programme of the Czech Republic, which focuses on providing medical care and assistance for vulnerable groups of persons in the countries affected by migration or burdened by a large number of refugees. The care provided is free of charge and exclusively for civilians - persons, who are in dire of such medical care or whose condition prevents them from leading a dignified life. 

MEDEVAC in 2018

In 2018, the MEDEVAC Programme was implemented under a Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No. 956 of 20 November 2015, which established the Permanent Medical Humanitarian Programme MEDEVAC. On the interdepartmental level, the Programme is coordinated by the Working Group for Implementing the MEDEVAC Programme. In 2018, the Working Group held two meetings. At the fifth meeting overall, which took place on 21 February 2018, the territorial priorities and the forms of implementing the Programme in 2018 were approved. On 6 September 2018, the sixth meeting was held where the Working Group reviewed the implementation of the financial plan so far and the activities of the MEDEVAC Programme for the first half of the year 2018, and the projects for the second half of the year were modified and specified in view of the current situation.

Sending Czech medical teams abroad remained the priority of the Programme in 2018. Other activities under the Programme were focused on training foreign medical staff (both in their countries of origin and in the Czech Republic), strengthening the healthcare infrastructure of the foreign partners involved in the MEDEVAC Programme and making financial donations to support development of their healthcare systems.

In 2018, the Programme’s activities were concentrated on 8 countries reflecting its territorial priorities. In the Middle East, the Programme operated primarily in Jordan, which remained the priority country in 2018, to which medical teams were sent. Assistance was also provided to other countries in the region, for example in the form of a financial donation, which was sent to Iraq, or in the form of medical evacuation, which involved evacuating a four-month-old child from Afghanistan to the Czech Republic for heart surgery. A reconnaissance mission to Lebanon was also carried out for the purpose of implementing future missions. 3 missions were sent to Senegal, which was the Programme’s primary focus in Africa. Assistance was also focused on Libya and Niger where it took on the form of financial donations. In 2018, the MEDEVAC Programme remained present in Eastern Europe, building on its previous successful trainings of medical staff in the field of physiotherapy in Ukraine.

The actual implementation of the MEDEVAC Programme is ensured by Czech hospitals under the direct responsibility of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Defence, specifically by the following hospitals: Motol University Hospital, General University Hospital in Prague, Bulovka Hospital, Military University Hospital in Prague, Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, Olomouc University Hospital and Hradec Králové University Hospital.

Implementation of the MEDEVAC Programme in 2018

• 14 medical teams sent abroad
• 896 professional surgeries carried out abroad (in the fields of paediatric heart surgery, gynaecology, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopaedics, reconstructive and plastic surgery and traumatology)
• more than 1,200 professional examinations with diagnostics
• 3 reconnaissance trips abroad to prepare future missions of the MEDEVAC Programme (Lebanon, Senegal)
• 1 medical humanitarian evacuation from Afghanistan to the Czech Republic for treatment
• 2 professional educational stays of medical staff with a focus on rehabilitation in Czech hospitals under direct responsibility of the Ministry of Health for a total of 11 Ukrainian professionals
• 2 trainings of foreign medical staff in the fields of ergotherapy and physiotherapy in Ukraine for more than 100 persons
• 4 financial donations totalling 20 million CZK for renovating medical centres, equipping hospitals with medical devices and training medical staff in Iraq, Libya, Niger and Ukraine (ADRA, CARE, Caritas, ICRC)
• participation of the MEDEVAC Programme in the Europe Day 2018
• organising the first exhibition of the Programme titled “Flying Doctors” in the National Technical Library in Prague from 5 February to 16 March 2018, and lending the exhibition abroad (Amman, Brussels, Geneva) and to partner hospitals (Olomouc University Hospital, General University Hospital)
   

Ukraine / General University Hospital, Bulovka Hospital - Training of Physiotherapists (January 22^nd - February 16^th, 2018)

Early in the year, medical staff from the Kiev Regional Hospital arrived in the Czech Republic for training. The intensive training of seven persons (physiotherapists, ergotherapists, physicians and nurses) built on previous four-day training, which took place in Ukraine in September 2017. Once again, the training was led by the experts from the General University Hospital and the Bulovka Hospital and was divided into two parts; the focus during the first week was on theoretical preparations; whereas during the next two weeks, the participants were personally applying the knowledge in practice.
 

Jordan / General University Hospital - Traumatology (March 7^th - March 17^th, 2018)

The first mission to Jordan in 2018 took place in March when a team of orthopaedists and traumatologists from the General University Hospital was sent to the Al Khalidi Hospital in Amman. 56 patients were examined in the pre-selection process; 22 of them were chosen for surgery. Due to an illness of one of them, surgeries were eventually performed on 21 patients in five operating days. The team concentrated on acute injuries as well as older and poorly healed surgical wounds. For all surgeries performed, follow-up rehabilitation was provided.
 

Jordan / Bulovka Hospital - Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology (March 14^th - March 23^rd, 2018)

In late March, a team of specialists from the Bulovka Hospital was sent to Jordan. The ophthalmologist performed 62 cataract surgeries over a period of 7 operating days. This was the seventh time that the orthopaedic team operated in the Al Khalidi Hospital. 123 patients were examined in the pre-selection process; 20 of them were operated on and a total of 27 surgical procedures were carried out. Another 15 patients were given a total of 75 injections to ensure continuing mobility of their knee joints.
 

Ukraine / General University Hospital, Bulovka Hospital - Training of Physiotherapists (March 19^th - April 13^th, 2018)

Physiotherapists and ergotherapists from the Kiev Regional Hospital attended training in the General University Hospital and Bulovka hospital, following their previous visits. A supervisory trip of Czech experts will be made in autumn as a follow-up to the educational stay in order to verify practical application of the trainees’ knowledge in their everyday work in Ukraine.
 

Jordan / Hradec Králové University Hospital - Ophthalmology (April 9^th - April 18^th, 2018)

The team of physicians from the Hradec Králové University Hospital was sent to their sixth mission under the MEDEVAC Programme in April 2018. Over a period of seven operating days, the ophthalmological team under the direction of prof. Naďa Jirásková operated a record number of 211 patients. All surgeries were successful and enabled patients to return to the labour market.
 

Jordan / Bulovka Hospital - Plastic Surgery (April 11^th - April 20^th, 2018)

During their mission, the medical team from the Bulovka Hospital focused on the correction of posttraumatic scars and surgeries of congenital limb development defects. 51 Syrian refugees, predominantly from the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, attended the pre-selection process; from among them, 21 individuals were chosen to undergo surgery in the following days. 4 more patients were treated with a non-invasive method.
 

Jordan / Military University Hospital - Ophthalmology (April 22^nd - May 1^st, 2018)

For the third time, the Military University Hospital sent their ophthalmology team to Jordan. Although they encountered some very complicated cases, doc. Pašta and his team were able to carry out all surgical procedures without complications. Over 7 operating days, the team performed 126 successful cataract surgeries.
 

Jordan / Olomouc University Hospital - Traumatology/Orthopaedics (April 24^th - May 4^th, 2018)

At the turn of April and May, a team of experts on trauma surgery was sent from the Olomouc University Hospital. The team concentrated not only on acute injuries but also on older injuries, which had already been surgically treated, or on removal of metal pieces from bodies. A total of 51 patients were examined in the pre-selection process; 17 of them were chosen for surgery regardless of their age. During the mission, another 3 chosen individuals received injections to their joints, which served as an alternative to joint replacement. A total of 15 procedures were carried out.
 

Jordan / Military University Hospital - Orthopaedics (May 1^st - May 11^th, 2018)

During their mission, the team of orthopaedists from the Military University Hospital consisting of two surgeons, one anaesthesiologist and a male nurse focused on surgical procedures involving knee and hip joint replacements. In the pre-selection process, the specialists examined 53 patients; 22 of them were operated on in the following days. There were no major complications during the surgeries. In addition to that, selected patients were given injections as an alternative to joint surgery; a total of 9 non-invasive procedures were carried out.
 

Jordan / Motol University Hospital - Paediatric Heart Surgery (May 8^th - May 17^th, 2018)

A large team from the Motol University Hospital started their mission in Amman in May by diagnosing and pre-selecting child patients for congenital heart defect surgeries, particularly for ventricular septal defect surgeries. 20 children were examined in the pre-selection process; 14 of them underwent complicated surgeries in the following days. Primarily the children of Syrian refugees living in a refugee camp were operated on; Jordanians from the poorer segments of population were also operated on.
 

Lebanon - Ophthalmology (May 7^th - May 14^th, 2018)

In May, a Czech humanitarian expert was sent to Lebanon to visit local ophthalmological centres and meet with international non-governmental organisations (UNHCR, AMEL) to discuss establishing cooperation and ensuring implementation of future ophthalmological missions to Lebanon. The aim of the visit was to secure mechanisms for functional mobilisation of patients, to discuss and agree on the method of pre-selecting patients and to create conditions for effective implementation of medical missions in 2019.
 

Ukraine / General University Hospital, Bulovka Hospital - Training of Physiotherapists (May 27^th - May 30^th, 2018)

In late May, a supervisory visit by Czech medical teams from the General University Hospital and the Bulovka Hospital took place in the Kiev Regional Hospital. Its purpose was to verify the knowledge gained by the Ukrainian trainees during their educational stay in the Czech Republic by testing them and by carrying out practical trainings with the trainees. The supervisory visit also included lectures focused on rehabilitation in the everyday practice of nurses.
 

Jordan / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital - Plastic Surgery (September 19^th - September 29^th, 2018)

After the successful reconnaissance trip made in autumn 2017, the medical team from the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital set out on their first mission under the direction of doc. Sukop. In the pre-selection process, the team examined a total of 48 patients, from among whom 21 were chosen for surgery, which they underwent in the following days. The surgeries were mainly limb development defect surgeries and corrections of posttraumatic scars. In one patient, a non-invasive procedure, which served as an alternative to surgery, was carried out during the mission.
 

Ukraine / General University Hospital, Bulovka Hospital - Physiotherapy (October 1^st - October 5^th, 2018)

In October, training took place in the Kiev Regional Hospital. This time, its focus was on more complicated cases and it consisted of lectures and work with local physiotherapists. The representatives of Ukrainian universities where physiotherapy education has already been started also attended the lectures. The training also included meetings with the representatives of the Kiev Regional Hospital and Ukrainian universities held to discuss further cooperation under the Programme.
 

Jordan / Hradec Králové University Hospital - Ophthalmology (November 19^th - November 29^th, 2018)

For the seventh time, the team of physicians from the Hradec Králové University Hospital was sent to Jordan. Over a period of ten operating days, the team performed a record number of 258 cataract surgeries. All the cataract surgeries were without major complications and allowed the Syrian refugees and socially disadvantaged Jordanians to return to active life.
 

Jordan / Military University Hospital - Orthopaedics (November 21^st - November 30^th, 2018)

In late November, the team of orthopaedists from the Military University Hospital in Prague visited Jordan for the second time this year. During their stay, the team examined a total of 60 persons, from among whom 18 underwent surgery (such as knee and hip joint replacement, osteotomy, hip joint dysplasia…). Another 19 patients were given injections as an alternative to a surgical procedure; a total of 81 non-invasive procedures were carried out.
 

Senegal / Motol University Hospital - ENT (November 21^st - December 2^nd, 2018)

Physicians from the Motol University Hospital participated in their second mission to Senegal. During their stay, they performed surgeries on a total of 55 adult and child patients, and all surgical procedures were without major complications. During the mission, three operating theatres were used – one for patients with ear problems, one for patients with throat problems and one for patients with nose problems. During the treatment, the Czech physicians were also training medical staff not only from Senegal but also from Congo, Guinea and Equatorial Guinea.
 

Senegal / Bulovka Hospital - Gynaecology (November 28^th - December 9^th, 2018)

At the turn of November and December, the medical team from the Bulovka Hospital based in Prague was sent to Senegal for the second time. During their stay, the physicians carried out gynaecological examinations of a total of 73 female patients; 13 of them underwent surgery in the following days. 12 conisations of cervix, 2 curettage procedures and 8 hysteroscopies were carried out. All surgical procedures were without complications.
 

Afghanistan / Medical Humanitarian Transport (December 14^th, 2018 - January 10^th, 2019)

In December, a four-month-old Afghan patient suffering from a ventricular defect was transported to the Children’s Heart Centre of the Motol University Hospital. The patient was chosen for participation in the MEDEVAC Programme by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kabul in cooperation with the local Ministry of Health. The project took place with the help of the Army of the Czech Republic, which provided the transport, and the Caritas of the Archdiocese of Prague, which provided social assistance and interpreting. The patient was successfully operated on and was transported back to Afghanistan in January 2019.

  

Department of Asylum and Migration Policy, January 5th, 2024

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