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The European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) and the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) issued a joint statement on the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh (Republic of Artsakh), calling for efforts to ensure supplies of life-saving medicine to its population.

"The way that this crisis affects the population is a big concern to our community of health care professionals. Patients in Nagorno-Karabakh are facing a lack of access to specialist diagnostic services and surgical interventions as well as difficulties to continue or initiate required treatments caused by lack of drug supply. We stand in solidarity with our Armenian ESE and ESPE members and colleagues, and support healthcare professionals in Nagorno-Karabakh in the care of their patients (with endocrine diseases) in extraordinary circumstances," they said.

"Children and adults with endocrine diseases require both urgent interventions to address acute situations, but also long term care and therapy to prevent acute emergency of chronic conditions, that require ongoing replacement of hormones as in diabetes, diabetes insipidus, adrenal and thyroid insufficiency. Also medication that suppresses excessive hormone activity, as in the case of endocrine cancers or hypersecretion of hormones, is required. The medication needed to treat these diseases is listed and explained in a joint statement issued by ESE and ESPE.

"ESE and ESPE therefore call upon all parties to secure the provision of adequate supply of medication essential to treat patients with potentially life-threatening acute or chronic endocrine conditions. We also call upon all parties to secure free and safe passage for patients that require specialized medical interventions.

"Our societies also call on their members and partners to assist in any way possible in alleviating the needs of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Support can be provided under form of a financial donation to the VIVA Foundation: “Doctors and volunteers for Armenia”. This NGO was established with the mission to provide the hospitals and clinics of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Republic of Artsakh) with hospital facilities, equipment, medication, materials and instruments," reads the statement.