Denmark’s Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced on Sunday that Greenland does not need any foreign medical aid following US President Donald Trump’s claim that a hospital ship was being dispatched to the Arctic territory, according to AFP.
Poulsen affirmed that Greenland’s healthcare system meets the needs of its people, as citizens receive treatment either through Greenland’s hospitals or, when specialized care is required, in Denmark itself.
“So, it’s not as if there’s a need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland,” he added.
Access to healthcare is free in both in Greenland and in Denmark.
The vast Arctic territory features five regional hospitals, with the central facility in Nuuk treating patients from across the island.
In early February, Greenland’s local government signed a landmark deal with Copenhagen seeking to enhancing the treatment of Greenlandic patients in Danish hospitals.
“We are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there,” Trump said on Saturday on his social media platform Truth Social.
This followed the remarks of Denmark’s Arctic Command of evacuating a crew member from a US submarine off the coast of Nuuk after the sailor requested urgent medical attention.
Greenland
Greenland represents an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Through its own parliament and administration, the island governs itself, while Copenhagen continues to oversee foreign affairs and defense.
Trump has recently argued that securing the mineral-rich island is vital to US national security as Russia and China are increasing their military activity in the Arctic.
In recent years, both nations have increased military operations in the Arctic. However, neither has staked a claim to the vast icy island.
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