The Minister of Health, Mr. Michael Hadjipandela, in his intervention at the European Union's Council of Health Ministers, taking place today, Tuesday, 29 March 2022 in Brussels, expressed Cyprus' full solidarity with Ukraine and its suffering people, adding that Cyprus unreservedly condemns the Russian invasion of the country and reiterates its full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Hajipandela stressed that, being a 40-day refugee myself from occupied Famagusta after the 1974 illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus, I fully understand the plight of the refugees who are in dire need of our humanitarian assistance, including in the health sector. He also expressed Cyprus' solidarity with the Member States neighbouring Ukraine, whose health systems are under great pressure due to the massive arrival of refugees.
The recent Commission Communication on preparing Europe to respond to the needs of refugees, including access to health services, creates an appropriate framework for joint action. Cyprus, he added, agrees with the Commission that it should focus on refugees in need of urgent medical care, stressing that the solidarity mechanism for medical transfers within the EU in the health sector is important. The issue of the mental health of refugees should not be neglected, he added, since the refugee experience often comes with lasting psychological trauma.
The Minister stressed that a possible action would be the creation of mobile hospital units staffed by Member States and that this action would be a practical act of solidarity between us, while he thanked Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou for today's announcement of a significant financial contribution. Hadjipandela said that at the national level, Cyprus is so far hosting about 15 thousand refugees from Ukraine and that it has taken all appropriate steps to support them, including access to the labour market, protection and education of children and vulnerable persons and their full and free access to health services.
In the health sector, Hajipandela said Ukrainian refugees have easy, quick and free access to COVID-19 vaccines, as well as any other vaccines deemed necessary for public health protection purposes.
In addition, he said, the Ministry of Health in cooperation with other relevant authorities in Cyprus has developed protocols for the early detection and prevention of communicable diseases and awareness of health care providers.
Finally, he added that the humanitarian aid that Cyprus has sent to Ukraine includes donations of pharmaceutical and medical equipment.
(AF)
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