Project: Medical Evacuation of Surrogate Newborns from War-Stricken Ukraine

Co-Organized by Refugee Protection International and implemented with Ukrainian Medical Staff, Volunteers, Romanian Authorities, Parents & Legal Guardians

Project Summary: 17 group medical evacuations of 53 newborns from a surrogacy clinic in war-stricken Kyiv and Kropyvnytski, Ukraine to Chernivtsi on the Romanian border have succeeded since March 10, 2022 through Refugee Protection International’s collaboration with Ukrainian hospitals, Romanian authorities, former NATO KFOR contacts from Romania, and the foreign biological parents determined to hug their infants.

Moving these infants to safety was urgent due to the violence and risk of infant formula running low. We thank Ukraine’s Dobrobut Medical Center and the Biotexcom Clinic who evacuated these infants to our partner Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital in Chernivtsi with RPI’s coordination support and full funding thanks to generous donations received by RPI. RPI’s Director, Jennifer Hill was in Ukraine and Romania in March 2022 to mobilize action and resources for the evacuations. Together with BioTexCom’s coordinator, Jennifer fielded many distressed calls from mothers needing evacuation support for their surrogate infants. Our hopes also go out to all surrogate mothers and their families.

RPI has a separate program that has launched and equipped community-run evacuations of thousands of Ukrainian children, women, and elderly from the war’s frontline areas in southern and southeastern Ukraine. Together we will help as many civilians as we can in this merciless war.