On Tuesday, 21 March, the Latvian government supported the Ministry of Health’s proposal to donate €297,861 ($321,000) worth of medical equipment to Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda referencing the Delfi news website.
According to the draft order prepared by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry received a letter from the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia requesting the donation of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. It is for prompt medical care to victims of Russia’s hostilities in Ukraine.
A working group has been established at the Ministry of Health to ensure rational control over the use of donations received as part of international assistance for Covid-19 and to identify and resolve any related issues. After assessing the current situation and considering the material reserves created during the Covid-19 pandemic, the group considered transferring donated medical equipment to Ukraine.
- 278 perfusion syringe pumps
- 45 non-invasive ventilators
- ten perfusion system stations
- four vacuum aspiration units
- one ventilator and endotracheal tube set
- one central station that can be connected to up to ten patient monitors
The Ministry of Health stresses that transferring these medical devices will not directly impact the country’s material reserves.
Utilizing the support mechanism proposed by the European Commission, the State Fire and Rescue Service will coordinate the transportation and logistics of the medical equipment. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism budget will cover transport and logistics expenses.
Previously, Latvia had donated medical equipment to Ukraine.
It is important to note that Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš stated that Latvians support Ukraine not only rationally but also out of absolute conviction and emotion, as Russia has treated Latvians similarly in the past.
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