EU medical stockpile in Sweden activated to support Türkiye
Türkiye has requested assistance with medical equipment through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (ERCC). The EU has decided to activate the Swedish EU medical stockpile, which will send 50 ventilators to support the medical capacity in Türkiye.
- Medical care in Türkiye is strained due to the recent devastating earthquake. Türkiye has requested help from the EU, says Josefin Gullstrand, project manager at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).
Sweden, through MSB, is one of the EU countries responsible for the EU´s stockpile of medical equipment.
- The warehouse is located in Kristinehamn is now being activated for the fourth time. Previously, ventilators has been sent to Latvia in 2021 to support their hospitals during the covid-19 pandemic. Personal protective equipment has also been sent a couple of times to Ukraine during Russia’s war, says Fredrika Lindholm, project manager at MSB.
RescEU and the medical stockpile
In 2020, Sweden was mandated by the EU to stock medical equipment including personal protective equipment (PPE) such as breathing masks and protective gowns as well as ventilators and other equipment to help patients with respiratory problems.
The material is intended to be used in major crises when the EU countries' own resources do not cover their needs. The medical stockpile is part of the development of the EU's joint preparedness under the rescEU, a system of EU-wide resources aimed at strengthening preparedness and response capacities for different types of crises, such as forest fires and pandemics. Sweden also hosts aircrafts for forest fires and shelter stockpile.
The project to establish the EU medical stockpile is a cooperation between MSB, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the National Board of Health and Welfare.