On Wednesday (13 October 2021), Ukraine received new medical equipment from NATO’s Pandemic Response Trust Fund to help in the country’s efforts to fight coronavirus infections. NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre coordinated the donation in response to a request by Ukraine for COVID-19 assistance.
Photo by Andrei Novitsky
The donation of medical equipment included 50 portable oxygen concentrators, three IsoArk negative pressure chambers, and four mobile x-ray devices. The donation was marked with a ceremony in Kyiv on 13 October. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Ms Mary Akopian, Deputy Chief of the State Border Guards Service of Ukraine, Mr Serhii Serdiuk and Deputy Director of the NATO Liaison Officer, Mr John von Kaufmann. The NATO Support Procurement Agency (NSPA) and the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine also supported the coordination of the donation.
This recent delivery complements a donation to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine consisting of 10 tons of personal protective equipment, including surgical masks, face shields, gloves, isolation gowns and hooded coveralls in September 2021. Allies have also previously donated 40,000 litres of surface disinfectants and 10 ventilators to Ukraine from the NATO Pandemic Response Trust Fund and Stockpile.
In 2020, NATO established a Pandemic Response Trust Fund that maintains a stockpile of medical equipment and supplies to be able to provide immediate relief to Allies or partners in need. Since the establishment of the Pandemic Response Trust Fund, NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre has provided COVID-19 assistance to four Allies and seven partner nations. This has contributed to enhancing the preparedness and resilience of national health systems during several recurring waves of the pandemic.