Finland is participating in the medical evacuation and treatment of Ukrainian patients as part of the EU’s common civil protection mechanism, and an estimated 20,000 Ukrainians are expected to arrive in Finland during the summer months under the program.
The government said in a press release that some patients need intensive care, while others need access to basic social and health services and psychosocial support.
Decisions on how to distribute patients across the country are made in collaboration with regional hospital districts. Preliminary preparations have begun in Finland’s largest region, the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS), but no concrete plans have yet been agreed.
However, the chief physician of HUS Markku Mäkijärvi said the district is preparing to serve patients according to their needs and according to HUS resources.
The number of Ukrainian patients admitted to the hospital district depends on the capacity, according to Mäkijärvi, the situation at HUS is currently quite good.
Under the Civil Protection Mechanism, Ukrainian patients arriving in Finland can apply for temporary protection, in which case the Finnish Immigration Service Migri is responsible for the costs related to the treatment.
Migri also arranges accommodation for relatives accompanying the patients and for those who later returned home from hospital care.
The Finnish authorities estimate that 10,000-20,000 Ukrainians who fled the war in their home country will arrive in Finland between May and July, and about 20,000-60,000 will arrive before the end of the year.