On November 19, IAEA officers officially handed over keys to two ambulances to Chornobyl NPP Medical Unit and Varash City Hospital. The handover took place in the presence of representatives from the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, the administration of Chornobyl NPP, Chornobyl’s medical personnel, and doctors from Varash Hospital. One vehicle will serve the Chornobyl site, while the other will be assigned to the Varash Hospital.
In a video message, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi highlighted that this donation is part of the agency’s commitment to strengthening the critical healthcare infrastructure and emergency response capabilities of Chornobyl and Rivne NPPs. “Personnel at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities face enormous stress. By reinforcing critical healthcare and mental health support, we are investing in their resilience and in nuclear safety and security,” Grossi said.
Adding to this, IAEA Senior Medical Officer Liliana Salaru emphasized: “Remember, you are not alone. We will continue to support the health of operating personnel and ultimately nuclear safety and security in every way we can.”
The joint IAEA mission for technical and medical assistance to Ukrainian NPPs will be present at the Chornobyl NPP site from November 19 to 21. The mission aims to improve the working and rest conditions of personnel within the Exclusion Zone and to explore enhancements to the IAEA’s continued presence mission operations.
During their visit, the delegation will familiarize themselves with the site’s infrastructure, including radioactive waste and spent fuel management facilities, as well as the New Safe Confinement.
Acting General Director of Chornobyl NPP, Sergii Martynov, closed the opening meeting with these remarks: “The IAEA’s cooperation with Chornobyl NPP began during the most challenging period for the plant—after the 1986 nuclear disaster. Since then, the IAEA has continuously provided critical support, ranging from safety consultations and staff training in decommissioning and radioactive waste management to implementing monitoring systems. The scope of cooperation has always been broad. However, since 2022, another dimension was added—humanitarian assistance—due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and the occupation of the plant.
High-quality beds and mattresses provided through the Medical Assistance Program for operating personnel of Ukrainian NPPs have greatly improved the living conditions for staff working in shifts. Other supplies, including first-aid kits and medical equipment, have contributed significantly to preserving the health and performance of our workers. We deeply value the IAEA’s continued efforts to support Ukraine and Chornobyl NPP during these challenging times, and we extend our heartfelt thanks once again.”
Background: Recently, the IAEA also delivered aid to Slavutych’s Primary Healthcare Center. The package included an automatic hematology analyzer, an automatic urine analyzer, a biochemical analyzer, an ECG machine, and state-of-the-art equipment like a cholesterol meter, enabling quick cholesterol level measurements.
