Medical Humanitarian Programme MEDEVAC

MEDEVAC in 2023

Implementation of the MEDEVAC Programme in 2023

• 19 medical missions abroad (Ghana, Jordan, Lebanon, Rwanda, Senegal, Ukraine, Zambia)
• 6 reconnaissance missions to expand cooperation (Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Senegal, Ukraine)
• 13 professional internships for medical personnel in the Czech Republic (Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, Ukraine, Zambia)
• 7 training courses for medical personnel abroad (Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal)
• 1 material donation (Turkey) as part of emergency aid after the earthquake in February 2023
• 940 patients operated on and 173 healthcare professionals trained

MISSIONS

Lebanon / General University Hospital – ophthalmology (April 23^rd – May 5 ^th, 2023)

Ophthalmology team from General University Hospital, consisting of MUDr. Petr Sklenka and Renata Altmannová, set out on their sixth mission to Beirut, where they operated on a total of 118 patients during ten days of surgery. The vast majority of patients were Lebanese nationals – due to the deepening economic crisis, most of the Lebanese population cannot currently afford cataract surgery; in addition, a large number of medical professionals and staff are leaving public hospitals.

Iraq / Brno University Hospital, Bulovka University Hospital – reconnaissance of anesthesiology, gynaecology and burns (April 24^th – April 28^th, 2023)

A team of doctors from Bulovka University Hospital and Brno University Hospital visited hospitals in the Iraqi capital Baghdad and nearby Najaf and Abu Ghraib. Prof. MUDr. Michal Zikán, Ph.D., from Bulovka University Hospital focused on identifying the needs of local gynaecology and obstetrics. Head physician MUDr. Jakub Bala, from Bulovka University Hospital assessed emergency care and the level of anesthesia, while prof. MUDr. Břetislav Lipový, Ph.D., MBA, LL.M., FICS, from Brno University Hospital visited burn centers in Najaf and Baghdad.

Senegal / Czech Armed Forces, Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology, traumatology, reconnaissance of gynaecology and neurosurgery (April 24^th – May 10^th, 2023)

At the turn of April and May, two medical missions took place in Thies, Senegal: a traumatology mission by Czech Armed Forces doctors, during which a total of 18 patients underwent surgery, and a gynecological mission by doctors from Bulovka University Hospital, during which 77 patients with complicated diagnoses underwent surgery.

During the mission, two reconnaissance missions were also carried out by doctors from new partner hospitals in the programme, namely gynecologists from Thomayer University Hospital – MUDr. Petr Kolka and MUDr. Nora Romsauerová – and neurosurgeon MUDr. Jan Šroubek from Na Homolce Hospital.

Zambia / Brno University Hospital, Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, Olomouc University Hospital – traumatology (April 28^th – May 13^th, 2023)

At the turn of April and May, the first trauma mission took place in the western province of Zambia, specifically in one of the poorest areas, following on from the reconnaissance mission in 2022. During the mission, a total of 32 surgical procedures were performed on 30 patients.

Ghana / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – plastic and reconstructive surgery (April 29^th – May 12^th, 2023)

During six days of surgery at the partner hospital Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, a three-member team led by prof. MUDr. Andrej Sukop, Ph.D., performed a total of 74 surgical procedures on 52 patients. More than 80 women and children with congenital limb defects and the consequences of serious burn injuries were examined. Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan also familiarized himself with the activities of the medical team and the course of the MEDEVAC Programme on site.

Rwanda / Brno University Hospital, Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (May 14^th – 20^th, 2023)

In May, the first oncogynaecology training mission took place in Rwanda. Leading Czech oncogynaecologists, prof. MUDr. Michal Zikán, Ph.D., from Bulovka University Hospital, and doc. MUDr. Vít Weinberger, Ph.D., from Brno University Hospital, began collaborating with colleagues from Rwanda Military Hospital on all aspects of patient care. The mission thus combined clinical examinations, lectures, and surgeries.

Ghana / General University Hospital – traumatology (May 22^th – June 2^nd, 2023)

Traumatology team from General University Hospital, led by doc. MUDr. Filip Burget, Ph.D., operated on a total of 22 patients in Tamale, Ghana. Patients with unhealed fractures, nerve paresis, infections, and acute injuries from among Ghana's poor population would not have been able to afford medical care without the help of Czech doctors.

Ghana / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (June 5^th – June 15^th, 2023)

At the beginning of June, a gynaecological team from Bulovka University Hospital, led by prof. MUDr. Michal Zikán, Ph.D., took part in another mission at Tamale Teaching Hospital in Ghana. During six days of surgery, the five-member team successfully operated on a total of 70 patients with complicated gynaecological diagnoses.

Jordan / Military University Hospital – ophthalmology (June 19^th – June 27^th, 2023)

At the end of June, ophthalmology mission took place in Amman, focusing on treating patients with cataracts, which had caused complete blindness in many of them. During the week-long mission, the ophthalmology team from Military University Hospital, led by doc. MUDr. Martin Šín, Ph.D., managed to operate on a record 195 patients and perform 254 cataract surgeries. The patients were selected from among the local poor population and Syrian refugees from nearby camps.

Rwanda / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – plastic and reconstructive surgery (July 31^st – August 12^th, 2023)

The first plastic and reconstructive surgery mission in Rwanda focused primarily on educating and transferring know-how to local doctors. The team, led by prof. MUDr. Andrej Sukop, Ph.D., from the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, worked closely with doctors from the partner University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, where they jointly operated on 32 patients, mainly children.

Jordan / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – plastic and reconstructive surgery (September 6^th – September 15^th, 2023)

A team of doctors specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery led by prof. MUDr. Andrej Sukop, Ph.D., from the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital operated on 34 patients with developmental defects during their latest mission in Amman, Jordan. As this was the final mission, attention was also paid to long-term patients who were treated within the MEDEVAC Programme in order to complete their treatment.

Zambia / Motol University Hospital – ENT (September 6^th – September 17^th, 2023)

In September, Zambia hosted its first medical mission specializing in ENT, led by a team of specialists from Motol University Hospital under the leadership of doc. MUDr. Zdeněk Čada, Ph.D. During their mission, the doctors primarily operated on patients with complicated diagnoses, including several seriously ill cancer patients. In total, they were able to help 23 patients.

Jordan / Brno University Hospital – gynaecology (September 11^th – September 13^th, 2023)

As part of a three-day reconnaissance mission, the head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic at Brno University Hospital, doc. MUDr. Vít Weinberger, Ph.D., visited five Jordanian state hospitals to explore opportunities for further cooperation.

Rwanda / General University Hospital – traumatology (October 9^th – October 20^th, 2023)

Medical team from General University Hospital in Prague specializing in traumatology carried out a mission in Rwanda. The team of doctors, led by doc. MUDr. Filip Burget, Ph.D., trained medical staff at the Rwanda Military Hospital in Kigali and continued training at the University Teaching Hospital in Butare the following week, where our doctors not only trained but also performed several operations and demonstrated a simulation of receiving patients from a mass casualty incident.

Ghana / Brno University Hospital – gynaecology (October 30^th – November 10^th, 2023)

Another medical mission by Brno University Hospital specializing in gynaecology took place in Tamale, Ghana. The team led by MUDr. Michal Felsinger operated on a total of 62 patients. During this mission, the doctors also met with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who came to greet our doctors as part of his working trip to African countries.

Senegal / Brno University Hospital – traumatology (November 5^th – November 16^th, 2023)

In November, a traumatology team from Brno University Hospital led by doc. MUDr. Milan Krtička, Ph.D., carried out a mission in Thiès, Senegal. Despite technical problems, this new MEDEVAC team managed to operate on 27 patients during nine days of surgery.

Ghana / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, Olomouc University Hospital – traumatology and infectious diseases (November 11^th – November 24^th, 2023)

A joint mission by teams of traumatologists from Olomouc University Hospital and Královské Vinohrady University Hospital took place in Cape Coast, Ghana. In total, the doctors performed 51 operations on 45 patients, who can now return to their normal lives. This mission also had an educational aspect – as part of the medical mission, lectures in the field of traumatology were given by doctors from Královské Vinohrady University Hospital: prof. MUDr. Jiří Skála Rosenbaum, MHA, Ph.D. and MUDr. Radek Bartoška, Ph.D.

In parallel with the mission, an infectious disease reconnaissance was conducted and lectures were given by infectious disease specialist MUDr. Petr Smejkal from IKEM.

Senegal / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (November 12^th – November 17^th, 2023)

A combined training and surgical mission in gynecology was also carried out in Thiès by a team from Bulovka University Hospital led by doc. MUDr. Petr Hubka, Ph.D., focusing on laparoscopic procedures. This training mission followed on from a month-long internship for two Senegalese doctors, which took place at Bulovka University Hospital in late spring. The training mission was accompanied by technical problems, but even so, the doctors managed to operate on 25 patients.

Senegal / Motol University Hospital – ENT (November 22^nd – December 3^rd, 2023)

Our activities in Senegal this year were concluded by a mission of the ENT team from the Motol University Hospital led by prof. MUDr.  Jan Plzák, Ph.D. Czech doctors worked in Thiès, Senegal, as part of mixed Czech-Senegalese teams in three operating rooms and managed to operate on a total of 80 patients. During the mission, two unique operations were also performed – thanks to a donation from the French company Medel, doc. MUDr. Zdeněk Čada, Ph.D., was able to implant cochlear implants in two patients with the most suitable diagnosis. Both patients, a woman and a three-year-old boy, are still awaiting technical interventions (the function of the implant still needs to be technically fine-tuned) and speech therapy exercises, but their chances of beginning to hear and communicate normally are very high.

MEDICAL TRAINING

Ghana / Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – plastic and reconstructive surgery (February 20^th – February 26^th, 2023)

At Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, we welcomed physicians specialising in plastic and reconstructive surgery who arrived from our partner hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Ghana. During the internship, Ghanaian doctors had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with organization of Czech hospital and received training in procedures that are not commonly performed in Ghanaian hospitals.

Rwanda – Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – plastic and reconstructive surgery (March 4^th – March 12^th, 2023)

In March, a doctor from our new partner hospital in Rwanda, the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, completed an internship in Prague. The doctor familiarized himself with treatment procedures and patient care in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Zambia / Motol University Hospital – ENT (April 8^th – April 16^th, 2023)

At the beginning of April, an internship in ENT took place at the Motol University Hospital, attended by a doctor from the partner hospital in Zambia, University Teaching Hospital. During the internship, the doctor had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the entire operation and organization of the Czech hospital, and also received training in many procedures.

Ghana / IKEM, Motol University Hospital – infectious diseases (April 15^th – April 23^rd, 2023)

In April, the first internship in infectious diseases took place in the Czech Republic, following on from the 2022 reconnaissance mission to our Ghanaian partner hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital. We welcomed two doctors who gained knowledge at the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague under the guidance of MUDr. Petr Smejkal, and also at the Motol University Hospital, where they were supervised by MUDr. Milan Trojánek, Ph.D.

Ghana / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology, anesthesiology (April 15^th – April 29^th, 2023)

In April, six healthcare professionals from Tamale Teaching Hospital in Ghana completed an internship at Bulovka University Hospital. The aim of the internship was not only to pass on new knowledge and experience to the Ghanaian healthcare professionals and familiarize them with the operation of a gynecology clinic in the Czech Republic, but also to deepen the mutual relationship between the Czech and Ghanaian teams of healthcare professionals. This international experience will help the Tamale team, among other things, to make changes in the operation of their own department and, in the long term, to provide better care for their patients.

Zambia / Motol University Hospital – paediatric heart surgery (April 16^th – May 1^st, 2023)

Six Zambian healthcare professionals from our partner hospital, the National Heart Hospital in Lusaka, completed an internship at Motol University Hospital. The aim of the internship was to familiarize the Zambian and Czech teams of medical professionals with paediatric heart surgery. As this field is in early stages of development in Zambia, and as it is one of the most demanding fields in terms of both preparation and execution, it was necessary to familiarize our Zambian colleagues with the necessary equipment and staffing requirements for the planned medical mission.

Senegal / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (May 17^th – June 18^th, 2023)

In May, two Senegalese doctors specializing in gynaecology from our partner hospital, Centre Hospitalier Hadji Amadou Sakhir Ndieguene in Thiès, began a two-month internship at Bulovka University Hospital. During their internship, the Senegalese doctors familiarized themselves with the knowledge and procedures of laparoscopic surgery. This internship followed on from a tied grant awarded by the Czech Embassy in Dakar, which was proposed by doctors from our expert teams. Part of the tied grant was an equipment and commissioning of an operating room at the hospital in Thiès, designated for endoscopic/laparoscopic surgery.

Senegal / Motol University Hospital – ENT (October 2^nd – November 14^th and October 8^th – November 14^th, 2023)

In October and November, we welcomed two ENT doctors from Senegal, who work at our partner hospital in the city of Thiès, to the Motol University Hospital. One of the doctors was completing her second internship, while her colleague was commencing his first internship in our country. At the Motol University Hospital, the interns were supervised by prof. MUDr. Jan Plzák, Ph.D., doc. MUDr. Zdeněk Čada, Ph.D., and their teams.

Ghana / IKEM – infectious diseases (November 11^th – November 24^th, 2023)

In parallel with the traumatology mission of the Olomouc University Hospital and Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, lectures were also held at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Ghana by leading Czech infectious disease specialist MUDr. Petr Smejkal from the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague.

Rwanda / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (November 12^th – November 25^th, 2023)

In November, an internship in gynaecology took place at Bulovka University Hospital. During his stay, a doctor from Rwanda Military Hospital had the opportunity to get to know an established European workplace, the organization of care for women with malignant tumors, and observe the examination and surgical techniques of Czech doctors. This internship followed on from the first spring mission in Rwanda, and the newly established cooperation will continue in 2024 with a combination of missions and training directly on site, as well as professional internships for gynecological oncologists from Rwanda.

Iraq / Bulovka University Hospital – gynaecology (December 4^th – December 12^th, 2023)

In December, two Iraqi doctors and two midwives from Al Zahra Hospital al Najaf completed a gynaecology internship at Bulovka University Hospital. We plan to develop further activities in this region in 2024.

MATERIAL DONATIONS

Turkey – material aid following earthquake

In response to the devastating earthquake, material aid was provided to Turkey in response to specific requests from the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey for supplies of medical equipment. Consumable medical supplies (bandages, sutures, gloves, surgical instrument sets) were purchased. The aid was provided in cooperation with the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital and delivered to the site in cooperation with the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic.

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE

MISSIONS

Brno University Hospital, Královské Vinohrady University Hospital – reconnaissance mission for burns and plastic surgery (April 16^th – April 21^st, 2023)

In April, a reconnaissance mission of the MEDEVAC Programme took place in Lviv and Kiev, with the participation of doc. Robert Zajíček from Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, doc. Břetislav Lipový from Brno University Hospital, prof. Jiří Horáček from the Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Czech Red Cross, as well as representatives of the Czech business sector. During the reconnaissance mission, a total of 10 medical facilities were visited, and meetings were held with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and other relevant partners, such as representatives of regional governments. This enabled us to plan the specific involvement of the MEDEVAC Programme in further assistance to Ukraine and to identify suitable partners and other opportunities for cooperation.

Lviv/Brno University Hospital – burns and plastic surgery (July 29^th – August 4^th, 2023)

At the end of July and beginning of August, the first MEDEVAC medical mission was carried out in Lviv, involving four Czech doctors from Brno University Hospital, who performed a series of complex procedures in the field of burn surgery and microsurgery on 14 patients. Thanks to this mission, highly specialized medical care was provided to those who, due to the ongoing conflict, do not have access to medical care or do not receive adequate care. During this mission, related theoretical training was also provided to Ukrainian medical professionals.

Lviv/Brno University Hospital – burns and plastic surgery (November 25^th – December 2^nd, 2023)

A team of experts in plastic surgery and microsurgery from Brno University Hospital, led by prof. MUDr. Břetislav Lipový, Ph.D., took part in another mission to Ukraine. This time, our doctors operated on patients in the western Ukrainian city of Vinnyky who had been injured as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

MEDICAL TRAINING

Hradec Králové University Hospital, General University Hospital – physiotherapy (March 27^th – March 31^st, 2023)

In the spring, physiotherapists from the newly established Superhumans hospital, which focuses on treating war injuries, completed a five-day internship. Three medical professionals from Lviv and Kyiv, who spent the last week of March with us, first visited the General University Hospital in Prague, where they received training in areas such as pain management and the role of psychologists in physiotherapy. For the second half of the week, the group moved to the University Hospital in Hradec Králové, where the internship focused on working with patients after limb amputation and the rehabilitation of people with postoperative prostheses.

CKTCH – anaesthesiology, cardiology, and cardiac surgery (September 4^th – December 1^st, 2023)

At the beginning of September, the first of a total of five doctors from the Kiev Heart Institute arrived for a month-long professional internship in the Czech Republic, followed by others during the autumn, including a specialist in anaesthesiology. At the Center of Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery in Brno, he trained in extracorporeal circulation and anaesthesia administration during transplants, among other things. In October, we welcomed two of his colleagues, a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon, for another month-long internship in Brno, and two more specialists in these fields arrived in November. The internships of doctors from the Kiev Heart Institute at the Center of Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery in Brno were the first involvement of this leading institution in the activities of the MEDEVAC Programme, and CKTCH thus became another partner hospital of our programme.

Brno University Hospital – paediatric oncology (September 18^th – December 9^th, 2023)

In September, a Ukrainian oncology nurse from the Regional Medical Center for Family Health in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro arrived for her one-month internship at the Paediatric Oncology Clinic of the Brno University Hospital under prof. MUDr. Jaroslav Štěrba, Ph.D. This nurse was the first of a total of five healthcare professionals specializing in paediatric oncology who were welcomed to Brno in the fall: in October, a Ukrainian doctor – also an oncologist from the Regional Medical Center for Family Health in Dnipro – arrived for a one-month internship, and in November, three internships began at the Paediatric Oncology Clinic: Two internships were fourteen days long (a doctor and a nurse, again from the Regional Medical Center for Family Health in Dnipro), and one internship was a month long (a doctor from the Volyn Regional Children's Hospital in Lutsk). Another doctor, an oncological surgeon from the Chernihiv Medical Center for Modern Oncology, completed his month internship in November at the ENT Department of the Brno University Hospital under the supervision of MUDr. Miloš Šteffl, Ph.D.

Training in burn medicine (October 30^th – October 31^st, 2023)

At the end of October, a long-awaited training course in burn medicine took place, sponsored by the European Burn Association (EBA) and organized by the Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education (IPVZ) and the Burn Medicine Clinic of the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, in addition to the MEDEVAC Programme. The trainers were experts from the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. The trainers made every effort to tailor the content of the training to the needs of Ukrainian doctors. A total of 10 Ukrainian doctors from hospitals in Lviv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv, as well as 7 doctors from the Czech Armed Forces, were trained during this two-day intensive course.

MATERIAL DONATIONS

In cooperation with the Czech Red Cross, two shipments of medical supplies were delivered to Ukraine, one for the hospital in Ternopil (a shipment of osteosynthetic material worth CZK 11.5 million prepared in cooperation with the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital) and another for the hospital in Lysets (a shipment of medical supplies worth CZK 5 million, prepared in cooperation with the Bulovka University Hospital).

On October 18, the first part of a donation of medical supplies worth CZK 4.5 million arrived for the Ukrainian Red Cross in Ivano-Frankivsk. This donation was made as part of the MEDEVAC Programme in cooperation with the Bulovka University Hospital and consisted mainly of cannulas and surgical sutures for local hospitals.

Supported Projects

On October 25, 2023, the Czech Government approved cash donations totaling CZK 15 million to support three projects in Ukraine. Two projects are being implemented under the Aid in Place Programme, and one project is implemented under the MEDEVAC Programme. The projects are being implemented by Ukrainian non-governmental organizations Myrne Nebo and Kryla Nadiyi. The first project will focus on raising awareness and resilience among the population of the Kharkiv region in relation to the risks associated with mines and unexploded ordnance, the second project will focus on providing psychological and social assistance to internally displaced persons in western Ukraine, and the third project will support safe and quality treatment for seriously ill children in Lviv.

EXHIBITION OF MEDEVAC AND AID IN PLACE PROGRAMMES

In January, under the auspices of Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan, an opening of an exhibition of photographs from the MEDEVAC and Aid in Place Programmes was held at the National Technical Library, attended by guests from the ministries cooperating with our programmes, members of our medical teams, and non-governmental organizations. After a month, the exhibition was moved from the National Technical Library to Charles University, then traveled to other locations: in April and the first half of May, it was exhibited at Motol University Hospital, then on the occasion of a conference dedicated to disaster medicine, it was possible to see the exhibition at Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, from where it then continued to Bulovka University Hospital. In July, the exhibition was displayed at Brno University Hospital, and in September the exhibition was moved to Olomouc University Hospital. The exhibition attracted considerable interest from the public and institutions, so thanks to this success, we plan to continue with the exhibition next year.

VISIT OF MINISTER VÍT RAKUŠAN TO AFRICA

At the turn of April and May 2023, Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic Vít Rakušan visited three African countries where the MEDEVAC Programme is active: Senegal, Ghana, and Rwanda. During his trip to Senegal, Vít Rakušan visited the MEDEVAC Programme´s partner hospital in Thiès, Senegal, where a traumatology mission by doctors of Czech Armed Forces, a gynaecological mission by the Bulovka University Hospital medical team, and two training missions, again led by doctors of Czech Armed Forces, were underway. Here, Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan, together with the Czech Ambassador to Dakar, Mr. Marek Skolil, presented the hospital in Thiès with a tied grant of CZK 10 million, which was identified with the help of doctors from the MEDEVAC expert teams specializing in traumatology, gynaecology, and ENT, and which included equipment for these specializations. This tied grant will significantly contribute to improving the quality of care provided to patients in the Thiès region and its surroundings and will also help ensure the success of future missions by Czech doctors in Senegal.

From Senegal, Minister Vít Rakušan continued to Ghana, and visited Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, where a mission by plastic surgeons from Královské Vinohrady University Hospital was just beginning, and together they ceremoniously launched the mission. The mission specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ghana focuses primarily on helping women and children with congenital limb defects or severe burn injuries.

The last stop on the MoI delegation's trip was Rwanda, which, after signing a memorandum of understanding, has become another partner country in the MEDEVAC Programme. Our medical and humanitarian aid was also an important topic of discussion in Rwanda. This year, we are planning missions in this African country specializing in traumatology, gynaecology, and plastic surgery.

Department of Asylum and Migration Policy, March, 2026

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