Norway extends medical evacuation program for Ukrainians to 2027

Norway has decided to extend its program for evacuating Ukrainian patients for treatment both domestically and across Europe until the end of 2027, following a request from the European Union.

According to a press release published on the Norwegian government’s official website, the initiative is considered a key component of broader European efforts to provide medical evacuation for Ukrainian patients under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The European Commission has described the scheme as a central pillar in coordinating such evacuations.

“We are one of the countries that has received the highest number of patients from Ukraine through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We have also entered into a health partnership with Ukraine to strengthen healthcare cooperation between our countries. This cooperation benefits both countries. We can learn a great deal from Ukraine in areas such as how to organise a health service during wartime,” said Jan Christian Vestre.

Since August 2022, Norway has been conducting weekly medical evacuation flights. Over this period, nearly 2,850 patients have been transported, including 512 who received treatment in Norwegian hospitals.

The program involves coordination among multiple institutions, including government ministries, regional health authorities, the armed forces, Scandinavian Airlines, and the Civil Protection Agency.

Patients are selected for evacuation based on assessments of hospital capacity and individual medical needs. They are first transferred either to a medical hub in Poland or directly onto evacuation flights, and then transported—primarily on SAS-operated aircraft—to hospitals in Norway and other European countries.

The initiative is formalised under a broader security agreement signed in May 2024 between Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

By Tamilla Hasanova