EU Commission: RescEU, boosting emergency medical support to disaster-stricken populations

The European Commission is allocating €106.2 million to Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and Türkiye to develop the new rescEU EMT (Emergency Medical Team) capability. The objective is to “boost emergency medical support to populations affected by large-scale natural or man-made disasters”. “The project - a statement reads - will establish 3 Emergency Medical Teams Type 2 (EMT2), which will include surgery and diagnostic services”. In addition to this, “17 specialised care teams will offer intensive care, burn treatment, patient transport, advanced diagnostic, mother and child support, rehabilitation, mental health support, orthopaedic treatment, laboratory, oxygen supply, and support to telecommunication”. This rescEU capacity will gradually become “operational as of 2024 and will allow a response to a wide range of disaster scenarios”. The teams “will be able to operate autonomously and support existing national healthcare facilities in case the latter are not able to cope with a given emergency”. This new structure “will complement the crucial role in emergency response already ensured by 15 Emergency Medical Teams offered by Member and Participating States to the European Civil Protection Pool”.
Gianni Borsa