Britain offers sanctuary to sick Ukrainian children

Britain has announced that it was providing cancer treatment for 21 seriously ill Ukrainian children as Russia continues to invade Ukraine.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that these children and their immediate family members arrived from Poland on Sunday evening.

He urged Britons to open their homes to people fleeing the war, noting that they would be assessed before being sent to hospitals to continue their care.

“I am proud that the UK is offering lifesaving medical care to these Ukrainian children. The people that have been forced out of their home country by the Russian invasion while undergoing medical treatment.’’

Their arrival came after a Russian attack on a military training base near Yavoriv in western Ukraine, less than 24 kilometres from the border with Poland, a NATO member.

UK residents who are keen to offer refugees shelter in Britain can register their interest in sponsoring Ukrainians through the government’s new humanitarian scheme from Monday.

Conservative lawmaker Danny Kruger told the BBC the scheme would provide Ukrainian refugees with “friends’’ as well as support.

“When a family arrives, often what they really need is friends. They need people to introduce them to the area, to take them to the church or show them where the playgroup is,’’ the MP said.

“These aren’t services that the local council is always best able to provide, but where there’s a need for professional support particularly if there’s counselling or training for job opportunity then we need professional services.’’

dpa/NAN