Statement
03/04/2022

FDI calls for medical neutrality to be observed in Ukraine

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Ukraine

FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) stands in solidarity with the healthcare community and our National Dental Associations to express deep concerns about the war taking place in Ukraine. We call for the international principle of medical neutrality and human rights to be upheld and respected.

The escalating health crisis in Ukraine has deeply alarmed FDI. We want to stress that medical facilities and health workers must not become military targets. Protection of healthcare workers, including dentists and dental teams must be ensured. The security of health personnel must be guaranteed, and health professionals should not be prevented from performing their professional duties.

FDI President, Professor Ihsane Ben Yahya says, “In times of armed conflicts and civil unrest, medical services must be permitted to continue without any interference. FDI calls for healthcare providers, such as dentists and dental teams to be able to continue their duty of care safely. All required measures must be taken to ensure patients and casualties have secure access to healthcare. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with my Ukrainian colleagues with whom I stand in solidarity.”

FDI condemns the use of force on medical facilities and emphasizes that preventing dentists and other healthcare providers from performing their duties clearly violates international law, in particular the Geneva Convention and its additional Protocols. It also puts countless civilian lives at risk. FDI calls for the work of healthcare providers and the neutrality of healthcare institutions to be respected.  

If you would like to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, you can donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and/or UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). 

You can also send financial support directly to the Ukrainian Dental Association. To do so, please address to the foreign currency account.

Currency account details in EUR: Raiffeisen Bank Aval Joint Stock, Kyiv, Sort code 380805, NGO "Ukraine Dental Association", EDRPOU 00013008, IBAN UA64 3808 0500 0000 0026 0005 9611.
The purpose of the payment must be: "Charitable (humanitarian) irrevocable aid".

Additionally, you can send emergency medical supplies (local anesthetics, medical masks, medical gloves, disposable sterile surgical covers, anesthetics, suture material, antipyretics, antibiotics) to the following address:

I.Horbachevsky National Medical University Ternopil
1 Maidan Voli, Ternopil, 46001
Ukraine
https://www.tdmu.edu.ua/en/

*Please note there may be some delays before the links open.