With the war in Ukraine entering its third year, the country continues to face risks related to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) hazards. To bolster the preparedness of the national health systems for such risks, WHO piloted a new Hospital preparedness checklist for radiation emergency response. This tool complements the All-hazard Emergency Hospital Response Checklist (WHO EURO, 2011) and is centred around a process-oriented approach. It is designed to assist health facilities in evaluating their capacity to manage a mass-casualty event stemming from a radiation emergency.
The checklist is comprised of 5 comprehensive modules: incident management, triage and decontamination procedures, equipment and supply availability, clinical management protocols, and detailed operational procedures. The tool was introduced across 4 regions in Ukraine, including areas hosting nuclear power plants, as well as the Kyiv region, through a series of workshops and field visits conducted in March in health facilities located in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Rivne, and Netishin.
"It is highly important that health-care facilities in high-risk areas are prepared for any potential hazards during the war and can maintain their functionality under pressure," explained Emanuele Bruni, World Health Emergencies (WHE) lead in the WHO Country Office in Ukraine. "Preparedness for a radiation emergency response needs to be planned in great detail, perfectly coordinated, regularly exercised, and implemented by trained professionals," added Mr Bruni.
75 health facility leaders and managers responsible for emergency response attended the workshops.
Dr Zhanat Kenbayeva, Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network (REMPAN) Coordinator from WHO headquarters, led the piloting exercise in Ukraine, engaging hospital administrators, emergency department heads, and other health-care professionals in detailed discussions on patient reception planning, secondary radiological and clinical triage, staff roles, and resource requirements. "The invaluable feedback provided by Ukrainian doctors and health-care specialists will be instrumental in refining this tool," noted Dr Kenbayeva. "We have received excellent insights from end-users, which will inform the finalization of the checklist before its broader implementation in other countries."
Since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, WHO has trained more than 2000 emergency medical service first responders and clinicians in chemical preparedness and response. Monthly training sessions on radiation emergency response are facilitated by the WHO Collaborating Center – National Research Center for Radiation Medicine (NRCRM). In addition, critical CBRN materials have been supplied by WHO to all relevant public health actors.
Financial support for the workshops was provided by USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).