Planned ACEP 2020 Trip to Ukraine Postponed

The much anticipated trip to Ukraine, which was scheduled to include an EMS Rally in Poltava, and a 2 day Symposium in Kyiv from later September through early October, has reluctantly been postponed. Likely to 2021 when we hope to be in a post vaccine world with SARS-Cov-2. The below previous description of the 2020 trip will hopefully be largely replicated for our 2021 ACEP Ambassador Program Ukraine trip next year.

Dr. Vitaliy Krylyuk, ACEP Liaison for Ukraine, and his colleague Dr. Ivan Kuzminsky, also ACEP Liaison for Ukraine, have confirmed the 2020 itinerary.
In Kyiv, on May 26 and 27 there will be a 2 day EMS Symposium, with attendees from all over Ukraine as well as from Poland, Lithuania, Romania and other countries of the region.

The Ukraine MOH has asked for our collaboration in their project to build up to 200 Western style ER’s throughout Ukraine….a new endeavour for a country heretofore with EM doctors all riding on the Ambulance….the so-called “Franco-Germanic” model of EM.

Keynote Speaker will be UNC Chapel Hill EM Professor and renowned Editor/Author Dr. Judith Tintinalli. A EM colleague of Dr. Tintinalli, Dr. Rakesh Jalali of Poland will also be a guest speaker.  Other collaborative ACEP International speakers will include Dr. Igor Tkachenko of University of Tennessee EM and Dr. Magnus Simonsson of Sweden, ACEP International member.

The 2 day Symposium will be followed by the Annual International EMS Competition, to be held in beautiful Poltava, Ukraine on May 28, 29 and 30. This will include over 40 ambulance teams competing in roughly 15 mock scenarios, both indoors and outdoors, and with use of moulaged victims and manikins.

I personally, because of some temporary health setbacks, will need to miss this trip and settle for a trip likely later in the year. As I write this on March 11th, the reality is that the entire trip could be postponed as the pandemic of the Coronavirus unravels…..