The Ministry of Health and UNICEF have provided quality healthcare for over 75,000 refugee children and others in need of care

PRAGUE, 19 September 2024 – More than 75,000 children and women including those who fled the war in Ukraine have accessed health services in the Czech Republic. The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic and UNICEF have worked together with partners to increase the reach and quality of health care for refugee children and families and members of the host community in need of care.

Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the Czech Republic has granted temporary protection to 615,000 refugees, of whom three-quarters are women and children. This arrival of refugees placed additional pressure on the national healthcare system, requiring an immediate and coordinated response.

"Providing accessible health care to refugees from Ukraine was one of the main tasks of the Ministry of Health after their arrival in the Czech Republic. The education and involvement of Ukrainian health professionals from their ranks followed immediately afterwards. I am convinced that we succeeded in the face of this challenge. But we were not alone. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who helped not only financially and professionally, but also in terms of personnel and material, especially the representatives of the UNICEF Children's Fund and colleagues from the World Health Organization. They, together with colleagues from the Ministry of Health, health professionals, representatives of educational institutions and others worked tirelessly to help war refugees," said the Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek.

To expand the access to health care for refugees, the Ministry of Health and UNICEF established 10 additional outpatient centres across seven University and Regional hospitals. In addition, 27 paediatric clinics were further strengthened to provide primary health care and vaccination services for refugees.

In partnership with IPVZ and NCONZO, more than 800 Ukrainian doctors and nurses have been supported in obtaining accreditation to work in the Czech healthcare system, enabling them to deliver vital services to both refugee and host communities. They have played important roles as health mediators to promote health and well-being and have worked alongside Czech health care providers in primary health care centers and hospitals across the country.

Through this partnership, a network of Ukrainian and Roma health mediators was established by the National Institute of Public Health supporting more than 11,000 refugees from Ukraine and members of Roma community through health promotion programmes, counselling, vaccination and mental health and psychosocial support. 
A national vaccination campaign conducted with the Ministry of Health has reached over 150,000 refugees, encouraging uptake in lifesaving immunisation.

“The Czech Republic has demonstrated unwavering commitment to welcome and support Ukrainian refugees from the very start of the crisis. UNICEF has been honoured to partner with the Ministry of Health to provide children and families who have fled the war in Ukraine with access to vital services.  A remarkable aspect of the response has been the ability of the Ministry and the healthcare system to leverage the crisis to further strengthen the primary healthcare system to be more effective in responding to the future crises and evolving needs of the population.” said Yulia Oleinik, Head of UNICEF Refugee Response Office in the Czech Republic.   

The Ministry of Health is committed to sustain operation of the outpatient centres, established under the MOH-UNICEF partnership, as part of the broader primary healthcare system strengthening for all children and families in the Czech Republic. UNICEF in partnership with WHO supported the National Institute for Postgraduate and Medical Education in the establishment of a career centre for foreign medical professionals, ensuring long-term support for the children and families, including for newly arriving refugees.