WHO and the Ministry of Health organized workshops to support international medical partnerships between Ukrainian and foreign institutions
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine, with the support of the World Health Organization, held a series of seminars in Kyiv and Lviv to support international medical partnerships. The event was held as part of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, launched in the autumn of 2023.
The events were held in offline and online formats. Leading experts from the WHO headquarters and regional office, as well as about 70 representatives of medical and educational institutions from different oblasts of Ukraine, including three colleagues from French partner hospitals, took part in the trainings. The participants included institutions that already have signed memorandums of cooperation with international partners, as well as those that are looking for opportunities for effective cooperation with foreign colleagues.
During the workshops, participants worked on developing step-by-step plans for international partnership development, creating communication strategies, and presenting successful cases of cooperation with their foreign partners. Special attention was paid to practical aspects, including the exchange of experience with colleagues from France who joined the event. WHO representatives also presented an adapted model of international partnership, discussed mechanisms for its implementation, and shared best international practices.
It should be noted that the trainings were based on the Vision of the International Medical Partnership, presented the day before by the Ministry of Health with the support of the World Health Organization. This became the basis for creating an effective plan for developing partnerships between Ukrainian and foreign medical and educational institutions. This model of cooperation is based on the twinning partnership approach, which is used in many countries to improve the quality of medical services and education.
It should also be noted that the event is a practical implementation of the support for international partnership in healthcare and medical education. The trainings were held with the financial support of the European Union and the Government of the Netherlands.
For reference: the development of international medical partnership is an initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, launched during the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv on 6 September 2023. Thanks to the development of international medical partnerships, Ukrainian medics are able to share their experience with foreign colleagues, and the medical sector is improving at all levels. In the future, the experience gained will be implemented in the best practices of providing medical care to Ukrainian patients. To date, 57 medical partnerships have been concluded between Ukrainian and foreign institutions.