The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Life Bridge Ukraine signed a memorandum of cooperation on prosthetics and rehabilitation

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Life Bridge Ukraine have signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at developing a modern prosthetics and orthopedics system in Ukraine.

The document was signed by Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine, and Dr. Janine von Wolfersdorff, Managing Director and Founder of Life Bridge Ukraine. The primary objective of the memorandum is to establish a National Center of Excellence in Prosthetics and Orthopedics. The center is planned to be created in Ternopil, based at the Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital. It is expected to operate as an integrated facility combining clinical prosthetics, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, and the training of healthcare professionals in accordance with international standards and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

The project combines the provision of modern prosthetic and orthopedic care with the development of a professional education system for Ukrainian prosthetists and orthopedists. It involves a two-tier training model, encompassing practice-oriented technical training and clinical education connected to university programs, enabling specialists to be trained in Ukraine.

Cooperation with Life Bridge Ukraine will be part of the implementation of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine's policy on accessibility and rehabilitation. In particular, the “Development of the Rehabilitation Care System” is the Ministry's flagship project, carried out within the framework of the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine. This initiative aims to ensure access to high-quality, continuous, and person-centered care for individuals affected by injury, illness, or war.

It should be noted that the key message in the implementation of the flagship project of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine is “Barrier-free means being able to complete rehabilitation without obstacles.” This message aligns with the main principles of the nationwide social change campaign, “Barrier-free Means When You Can,” which aims to promote barrier-free access and encourage people to participate in building a country without barriers.