Last week, Forum “PHARMEXPERT2024. Standards. Innovations. European Integration” dedicated to the European prospects of the pharmaceutical industry took place in Kyiv.

The Foundation joined the Medical Rehabilitation. Standards and Practice session, where the existing rehabilitation practices, current services provided by health institutions and challenges faced by the veterans were discussed.

The session was moderated by Vyacheslav Kaminskyi, Rector of the P. L. Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine. The session was attended by Iryna Semenenko, Deputy Director of the Department – Head of the Healthcare Transplantation and Rehabilitation Division of the Department of High-Tech Medical Care and Innovations of the Ministry of Health; Oleh Vivsiannyk, Director of the Department of Civil Protection and Public Healthcare of the Rivne Regional State Administration; Taras Marchuk, Associate Professor of the Department of Military Medical Training and Rehabilitation of Servicemen of the P. L. Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine; Aliona Ursolova, Head of the Rehabilitation Center at St. Luke’s Hospital/Acinus; Ksenia Voznitsyna, Director of the State Institution Center for Mental Health and Rehabilitation of Veterans “Lisova Polyana” of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine; Oleksii Yaremenko, Project Manager, USAID Rehab4U.

Viktoriia Khrenova, the representative of the Zhebrivsky Family Charitable Foundation and Farmak, joined the discussion on Rehabilitation of Severely Wounded Servicemen: Business Contribution and Volunteering.

During her speech, she shared our experience in implementing the Program “Rehabilitation of Patients with Severe Physical Challenges” for military personnel in cooperation with a private medical center in Kyiv. This program was launched in March 2023 on the initiative of Filya Zhebrovska, the Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Farmak and the founder of the Foundation. Every month, the Foundation finances the rehabilitation of 10 patients, and 94 defenders have already completed the program.

This assistance is not limited to paying for rehabilitation. Farmak employees volunteer to help patients, provide rehabilitation support, help with paperwork and organize leisure activities. Some patients have no family or friends to take care of them. This volunteer support is especially valuable for them.

What is important:

• Everyone can contribute to helping our defenders, either financially or as a volunteer.
• It is important both to rehabilitate the wounded and to change society’s attitude towards people with disabilities.
• Businesses should take an active part in solving problems by supporting rehabilitation programs and contributing to their development.
• Volunteer support makes rehabilitation more effective – it is an opportunity for defenders to feel attention and care.
• Businesses, NGOs and governmental organizations should unite to create an effective system of assistance: to provide accessible services for veterans, to equip cities for the comfort of people with disabilities, and to provide quality rehabilitation to those who have sacrificed their health for our freedom.

The project presented at the forum is an example of how business, volunteers and healthcare system can join efforts for a common goal: restoring the health of those who defend our country.