Ukrainian Ministries and ICRC Coordinate Medical Care for Prisoners of War in Dnipro

Representatives from Ukrainian government ministries and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently gathered in Dnipro for the second Inter-Ministerial Coordination Working Meeting on "Medical Support for Prisoners of War." The meeting brought together officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defence, local health-care facilities, and the ICRC to address continuity of medical care for individuals deprived of liberty.

The discussions focused on the challenges of providing timely examinations, specialized referrals, and uninterrupted medical treatment for both prisoners of war held in internment sites and detainees held in detention facilities. Participants noted that organizing consistent care is particularly complex in front-line regions, where relocations, medical evacuations, and transfers to specialized facilities are frequently required.

A central focus of the working group was mapping the patient pathway for prisoners of war needing medical care unavailable at their primary internment sites. Officials reviewed procedures for referring patients to facilities under the Ministry of Health or Ministry of Justice and examined methods to maintain treatment regimens until individuals are repatriated.

According to the ICRC, previous coordination from the inaugural meeting held last year led to practical infrastructure upgrades, including the establishment of an X-ray department at Penal Institution No. 4 that began operations at the end of 2025 to enable on-site examinations. Representatives of the State Criminal and Executive Service also cited ICRC assistance in establishing medical rooms and supplying essential equipment.

Hanna Ostakhova, head of the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk Regional Branch of the State Criminal and Executive Service Health Centre, emphasized the need to solidify these inter-agency protocols at the regulatory level to ensure that operational solutions and inter-ministerial responsibilities are legally documented.

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