Hungarian paramedics recruited for three-month mission in Chad

Hungarian paramedics are being recruited to spend three months working in Chad, according to a call for applications sent to our newspaper by several doctors. The mission is being organized by Hungary Helps (the government's international humanitarian program) and we understand that doctors, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians employed by the National Ambulance Service can apply for the three-month mission, which starts on December 20. The Ambulance Service is offering special pay and unpaid leave to participants.

We contacted the National Ambulance Service to find out if the news is true, how many paramedics have applied for the mission so far, whether they will indeed be granted unpaid leave, and how they intend to replace those who are going abroad.
In their response, they wrote that Hungarian paramedics have always participated in humanitarian missions and missions serving Hungarian interests, helping victims of disasters and crises in other countries. "The temporary absence of a few of our colleagues who have volunteered for this task will not cause any disruption, as we will find replacements for them, just as we continuously replace colleagues who are on leave or on sick leave," they wrote, but did not reveal any further details.

According to 444, the applying doctors are being promised 5 million forints (13 thousand euros) per month.

Doctor, medical analyst and systems developer Zsombor Kunetz also posted the call on his social media page, pointing out that, "Every day, 20-30 ambulance units are summoned to Budapest from the countryside to provide care in a system that functions below the bare minimum." Meanwhile, doctors and paramedics are being sent on this completely insane mission to Chad with the director general's permission, which will definitely leave a gap in emergency services for three months."

According to the Ambulance Service, Kunetz's goal "was once again to create tension and undermine public confidence." They wrote that contrary to his statement, the services of the Hungarian ambulance corps are not below the minimum standard, but "are provided at a particularly high level throughout the country."