In March 2023, Ukraine received nine ambulances, following Kyiv’s request for international assistance through the NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), NATO’s principal civil emergency response mechanism in the Euro-Atlantic area. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) identified the requirements for the ambulances, managed the contract and facilitated the delivery of the emergency medical vehicles. In addition to the nine vehicles, NSPA will facilitate the delivery of several x-ray devices.
The ambulances will provide basic life support treatments on route to a hospital, securing initial healthcare for critical and non-critical patients. The vehicles are equipped with standard medical equipment such as stretchers, oxygen systems, defibrillator, infusion pump, and are fitted with abundant medical consumables. This humanitarian donation, made available by a financial donation of the Republic of Korea, is part of the support NATO Allies and Partners are providing to Ukraine as the country defends itself against Russia’s war of aggression.
EADRCC is active all year round, operates on a 24/7 basis, and involves all NATO Allies and partner countries. It functions as a clearing-house system for coordinating both requests for and offers of assistance. It is up to individual NATO Allies and partners to decide whether to provide assistance, based on information received from the EADRCC. In addition to natural and man-made disasters, the Centre is also available to coordinate international assistance during crises and Article 5 collective defence situations
NSPA works in close coordination with the EADRCC to facilitate medical supplies and equipment and other types of support to nations in need, as required. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (French: Agence OTAN de soutien et d’acquisition), abbreviated to NSPA, is the main logistics and procurement agency of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and is the executive branch of the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation (NSPO), formerly NATO Maintenance and Supply Organization (NAMSO).
