International medical partnership in action: in October, teams of Ukrainian medics were trained at leading clinics in Sweden, France and Lithuania

Despite the full-scale war, Ukrainian medics continue to improve their professional skills and knowledge. This is important to provide patients with high-quality and up-to-date care. Thus, as part of the international medical partnership initiative, in October alone, teams of Ukrainian doctors were trained and exchanged experience in modern clinics in Sweden, France, and Lithuania.

For example, a 10-day visit of doctors from Kryvyi Rih City Clinical Hospital No. 2 to Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, was organized. During the visit, the doctors got familiar with the work of a multidisciplinary team of rhinologists, anesthesiologists and neurosurgeons, conducted audiological examinations of patients with various forms of hearing loss, observed clinical cases in the operating room and outpatient clinics, assisted during surgical interventions, etc. Ukrainian doctors also deepened their knowledge in skull base surgery and facial reconstructive surgery.

Thanks to the support of France, a series of visits in the field of oncology has begun, and 12 Ukrainian oncologists have already completed internships at the National Cancer Institute and the Gustave Roussy Institute of Oncology, Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris, and La Timone Hospital in Marseille. During the internship, they observed the treatment process in various departments, participated in multidisciplinary consultations, and complex surgical interventions, and consulted with leading French specialists. The doctors also attended seminars on complications after allogeneic transplantation, familiarized themselves with treatment protocols and gained practical experience in planning treatment for patients with cancer, etc.

During another visit to the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris and Unicancer, doctors from the Kyiv Regional Oncology Center deepened their knowledge of modern approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with hematological diseases such as leukemia lymphoma, and myeloma. They learned about the latest technologies and treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, and gained skills in bone marrow transplantation and post-transplant care, etc. 

As part of the partnership between Mykolaiv Regional Clinical Hospital and Santarom University Hospital, Lithuania, a team of neuro and vascular surgeons and anesthesiologists completed an internship at the Lithuanian clinic Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos and mastered the latest methods of interventional surgery.

Another five doctors from Feofaniya were trained at the Lille University Hospital, France. The Ukrainian delegation consisted of anesthesiologists, otolaryngologists, and the head of the Stroke Center. They learned about the latest approaches to providing medical care to patients in various critical conditions and exchanged experience with their French colleagues, saw the work of the emergency medical dispatch service and the best stroke service in France, and visited a stroke center that receives more than 1500 patients a year, etc.

Shortly, other internships for Ukrainian doctors at international clinics are planned, as well as the signing of several memorandums with leading European clinics.

It should be recalled that the international medical partnership initiative was launched last year at the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen under the patronage of First Lady Olena Zelenska. At that time, 25 Ukrainian hospitals got twinned hospitals in different countries to share experience and best practices. To date, 51 memoranda of cooperation have been signed between Ukrainian international healthcare institutions. The initiative is actively developing and allows Ukrainian medics to share their experience and learn from the experience of their foreign colleagues to strengthen the healthcare sector in Ukraine.