Zelenskyy forbids transfer of medics to infantry

According to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, which was supported by the president, the Cabinet of Ministers should adopt an additional law within a month on the prohibition of the appointment of people with a medical education to positions in the military service that are not directly related to medical practice. At the same time, this does not apply to cases if the doctors themselves have such a desire.

In addition, the government should review the advisability of changing the draft reservation conditions for doctors, in particular regarding restrictions on the number of employees of medical facilities who are entitled to draft deferral.

Also, according to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, the implementation of the medical information system should be enhanced in military medical institutions of military formations and military units.

Records of wounded, traumatized and sick soldiers must be kept in electronic form, as well as other medical documentation in military medical institutions of military formations.

At the end of October, MP Mariana Bezuhla reported the transfer of 1/5 of medics and other specialists to infantry brigades. According to her, "if a doctor is lucky enough to get a position in his specialty, he will work as a doctor; if not, he will join the infantry."

However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces explained that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi decided to strengthen the medical services that provide assistance to wounded soldiers in the combat zone with specialized medical personnel.

However, this allegedly did not mean that military medics are not being transferred to the infantry — they will continue to work in their direct specialty.

Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said that the mobilization of medics takes place at the request of the Command of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and also advised to report cases when medics are "sent to the trenches".