Emergency medical response teams in Ukraine continue to carry out a dual mission: they handle routine calls and regularly respond to the aftermath of Russian strikes on populated areas. At the same time, as explained by Ukraine's Ministry of Health, medical staff assess before each dispatch whether it is safe to proceed to the scene. The relevant information was published by RBC-Ukraine, citing an official document from the Ministry of Health.
Legal Basis and Ways to Call a Team
The procedure for the work of emergency medical response teams is established by Ministry of Health Order No. 583 of 26 March 2021. According to this document, a call can be made by dialling 103, through the unified emergency response system 112, or by means of other communication channels. The dispatcher who answers the call first assesses the nature of the patient's condition: if there are signs of an emergency, a team is dispatched to the location. In other cases, the dispatcher may limit themselves to verbal recommendations or direct the caller to a specialised medical facility. In addition, a team may be sent at the request of the leader of a team already working on site if additional reinforcement is needed to provide care.
What to Tell the Dispatcher and How to Prepare the Location
During the call to the dispatcher, the patient or their relatives are obliged to answer all questions asked. The key requirement is to give the exact address: the settlement, street, building number, and, where possible, also the apartment number, floor, entrance, and door code. If the exact address cannot be given, the caller should explain in detail how to reach the location and name the nearest landmarks. On site, free access to the patient must be ensured for the team, domestic animals that could interfere with the medical staff must be isolated, and, if necessary, assistance should be provided in transporting the person into the ambulance. If the patient is to be taken to a hospital, it is advisable to have a document confirming identity on hand.
Continuous Operation of Dispatch Services During Alarms
The Ministry of Health emphasises that the dispatch services of the emergency medical care and disaster medicine centres receive and process calls continuously, including during air alarms. This means that the 103 and 112 lines are not closed and not switched to a limited-service mode when the air-raid siren is sounded. The dispatcher can remain in contact with the caller until the team arrives and provide recommendations on first aid and basic life support. Emergency medical care, however, is not intended for scheduled procedures or situations that are not emergencies: in such cases the dispatcher redirects the request and indicates which medical facility should be contacted.
Route Safety as the Deciding Factor
The key difference in ambulance operations under wartime conditions is that, during shelling, the team's arrival directly depends on information about the safety of access to the scene. Medical staff can depart only when the route and the call location are accessible given the current situation. This is not a refusal of help, but an operational decision made on the basis of safety data. The Ministry of Health also appeals to drivers to yield the road to ambulances: this allows medical staff to reach patients whose lives are in danger more quickly.
Special Situations, Conflicts, and Interaction with the Police
In the event of a non-standard situation or a conflict arising around a call, the patient or their representatives may contact the senior on-duty medical officer of the operational dispatch service of the emergency medical care and disaster medicine centre. If the patient or surrounding persons display aggressive behaviour — including as a result of alcohol, drug, or toxic intoxication, as well as in cases of acute mental disorder — medical staff are entitled to provide care and transport the patient accompanied by police officers.
Financial Support for Medical Staff on the Frontline
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that in Kyiv additional payments are planned for emergency medical care workers for service during air alarms and dispatches to the sites of Russian strikes. The amount of the supplement, according to available data, will depend on the specific conditions and the actual time spent by medical staff in the risk zone. Separately, the publication published a piece on the new rules for hospital operations in Ukraine during air alarms, which complement the overall regulation of the healthcare system's functioning under combat conditions.
