Since the Russian military invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, attacks to residential areas have damaged critical civilian infrastructure such as power stations, supply networks, and health care facilities, interrupting daily life, including healthcare. Given the attacks to the Ukrainian health system and supply chains, an immediate unmet need became apparent early on, that patients with serious illness would likely need to be evacuated from areas experiencing direct offense.
“The objective of the Supporting Action for Emergency Response (SAFER) program is to help Ukrainian children with cancer and other blood disorders continue their cancer-directed therapy either in Ukraine if possible, and if not, then outside of Ukraine in specialty centers in Europe and North America,” Asya Agulnik, MD, MPH, of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Director of the Global Critical Care Program and the Euro Regional Program, told Hematology Advisor.
The SAFER Ukraine program, which was highlighted in an issue of The Lancet Haemotology, was launched soon after the Russian invasion due to concerns that the Polish medical system would become overwhelmed by the number of patients who would flee Ukraine and seek medical care.
Source: SAFER Ukraine: A Global Effort to Evacuate Children With Hematologic Cancers From Ukraine
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