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Public Health

EU-Ukraine solidarity and cooperation on health

The EU and its international partners have set up a robust response to the war, including by helping those fleeing Putin's aggression and supporting the countries welcoming them, as well as strengthening Ukraine's health system.

Since 24 February 2022, people permanently residing in Ukraine who fled the country to escape war may be entitled to temporary protection in any EU country. This covers at least emergency care and essential treatment of illness, plus medical or other assistance for persons with special needs. Many national authorities offer more public health support.

Since August 2022, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been used to deploy emergency health equipment and to evacuate patients from Ukraine, especially those severely injured or with serious diseases for which treatment is impossible in the country.

EU4Health: immediate needs and longer-term recovery

In July 2022, the European Commission signed an agreement associating Ukraine with the EU4Health programme. And in June 2023, the Commission and Ukraine’s Health Ministry signed an arrangement for cooperation on health, covering:

  • mental health and psychosocial support
  • healthcare for refugees and other people displaced from Ukraine
  • repatriation and incorporation of patients into Ukraine’s healthcare system
  • short and medium-term health needs of Ukrainian refugees
  • Ukraine’s work in rare diseases
  • continued funding through EU4Health

EU4Health funded projects supporting Ukraine

€28.4 million contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross to help people who have fled Ukraine deal with the trauma they have suffered and offer them mental health support: EU4Health and the IFRC (2022 to 2025)

Four projects (Peace of Mind, Well-U, U-Rise and MESUR) from non-governmental organisations for best practices to improve mental health and psychological well-being in migrant and refugee populations.

€4 million to improve healthcare for Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Organization for Migration (2023 to 2025).

The Commission has also concluded an administrative arrangement with Ukraine that will help Ukrainian medical doctors to seek advice from members of the European Reference Networks on Ukrainian patients with rare or complex diseases.

Additional information