Open letter from ICCBBA to condemn the conflict in Ukraine and to demand that health services be allowed to continue to provide care to all patients in need of treatment.
ICCBBA firmly condemns the conflict in Ukraine. We are deeply concerned by the increasing number of casualties among combatants and innocent civilians, including children. Among the especially vulnerable are patients with severe conditions, such as those with cancer or receiving life-saving transplants, transfusions and other forms of therapy and whose lives and wellbeing are being gravely threatened by a lack of medication and medical supplies, travel restrictions and deteriorating nutrition. As a medical organization, we are especially concerned for the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, particularly those Ukrainian teams collecting and administering essential blood and other medical products of human origin, the need for which was perhaps never so acute as now.
ICCBBA asks that all parties respect international humanitarian law by ensuring swift and safe access to care for all patients in need and to ensure continued access to medicinal products.
ICCBBA therefore joins the international community in requesting that peace negotiations prioritize the following:
safe corridors for patients and providers to travel to hospital;
international organizations be allowed to ship medical supplies to wherever they are needed;
patients whose care cannot be completed in Ukraine at this time be allowed to travel to foreign countries offering to host them.
ICCBBA is also mindful of our Russian colleagues, patients and donors of blood, cells, organs, and tissues whose work and care are threatened by the deteriorating international situation.
ICCBBA also strongly echoes the calls by WHO for protecting health workers, systems and facilities and keeping them functioning, safe and accessible to all who need essential medical services.
ICCBBA expresses solidarity with all the affected healthcare providers, patients, donors, friends and supporters worldwide and issues a heartfelt demand for peaceful solutions to be found.
On behalf of the ICCBBA Board of Directors
About ICCBBA
ICCBBA develops and maintains ISBT 128, the global standard for the terminology, identification, coding and labeling of medical products of human origin (including blood, cell, tissue, milk, and organ products). It is used in more than 87 countries across six continents and disparate health care systems and is widely endorsed by the professional community.
The standard has been designed to ensure the highest levels of accuracy, safety, and efficiency for the benefit of donors and patients worldwide. ISBT 128 provides international consistency to support the transfer, traceability and transfusion/transplantation of blood, cells, tissues and organs among others.
ICCBBA is a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO).
www.isbt128.org| Contact: Mr. Eoin McGrath, Executive Director, ICCBBA eoin.mcgrath@iccbba.org
Comments