The Polish palliative care response to the war in Ukraine and the subsequent humanitarian crisis

Abstract

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a serious humanitarian crisis. The Ukrainian healthcare system has collapsed and many healthcare institutions, including palliative care facilities, have been destroyed. In Poland, hospices and palliative care centres, non-governmental and public organizations, local authorities as well as individual citizens have been involved in the provision of care and other forms of support for palliative care patients who fled Ukraine. Due to the implementation of new regulations, 1.5 million refugees have been granted access to Polish public services. The rapid aid response for Ukrainian refugees has provided these patients with dignity, by meeting their basic needs, and allowed them to experience some level of peace in a deeply troubling time. Palliat Med Pract 2023; 17, 3: 164