In this episode we speak with Karen O’Neill; Advanced Clinical Practitioner and humanitarian around the unfolding Ukraine crisis. Karen has a wealth of experience of delivering aid programmes in various contexts including Sierra Leone, the Philippines, Malawi, Mumbai, and Uganda. In the episode we discuss the importance of collaboration within deployment of aid in Ukraine, the cluster approach designated and coordinated by the United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). We also talk about the reality of getting aid to the point of need and the dynamic security issues with attacks to frontline healthcare workers. We also discuss the utility of volunteering with a registered and credentialed organisation such as UKmed, the importance of governance, flexibility within teams and the mental health of healthcare workers whilst working in and subject to conflict zones. Karen speaks about some of the difficulties from the perspective of Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) and the incorrect assumption that refugee status is awarded to everyone seeking it. Karen also speaks about the second order effects of war in Ukraine such as supple chain issues, managing chronic pathology and elective surgery in the face of overwhelming clinical need. Karen also reflects on the utility of debriefing and capturing learning when responding to the dynamic and uncertain events unfolding within in Ukraine. https://www.gofundme.com/f/medics4ukraine

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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