Goto main content

Ukraine: HI trains health professionals in specialised physiotherapy

Emergency
Ukraine

Humanity & Inclusion is providing specialised physiotherapy training to staff caring for burns patients in Ukrainian hospitals.

HI’s teams visiting a home for children with multiple disabilities in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.

HI’s teams visiting a home for children with multiple disabilities in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. | © HI

Caring for burns patients

As part of its support to Ukrainian hospitals, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is organising specialised physiotherapy training for health professionals treating burns patients, which requires special knowledge and skills.

HI has already delivered online training to rehabilitation teams and physiotherapy students caring for injured people in three hospitals in Lviv.

“We get a lot of requests for this type of training,” says Virginie Duclos, rehabilitation manager at HI and a burns specialist, who is currently working in Ukraine. “Some patients are admitted with burns, which require special skills. When we can’t provide in-person training, we do it online – we try to adapt to the situation and address their needs.”

Meeting the needs of vulnerable people

In Chernivtsi and the surrounding area, HI has already identified some twenty institutions hosting displaced or vulnerable people with special mental health, rehabilitation or other needs, including a home for children with multiple disabilities.

“It took these children 24 hours to travel to Chernivtsi by bus. They don’t know the region, they are far from their families, and they have no medical records. There were ten children in this home - now there are more than fifty. They have received no extra staff or money. The teams are doing everything they possibly can, but it’s hard to cope,” explains Virginie.

Over the next few days, HI plans to help the home recruit additional staff in order to provide children and teams with psychosocial support and rehabilitation care. It will also supply essential items, including hygiene products.

Essential humanitarian assistance

Some 12 million people need humanitarian relief in Ukraine. HI’s teams will therefore continue to identify priority needs and implement emergency response. The organisation also plans to provide physical rehabilitation care, distribute hygiene products and essential items, make cash transfers to displaced people for food and accommodation, and deploy mental health and psychosocial support specialists.  

“We’re seeing an acute need for mental health and psychosocial support. Everyone is going through a very emotional time and most people we meet have suffered some kind of trauma. Many of them need specific support,” adds Virginie.

Date published: 31/03/22

COUNTRIES

Where we work

Read more

HI assess the contamination by explosive remnants and unexploded ordnance in Gaza
© HI
Emergency Explosive weapons

HI assess the contamination by explosive remnants and unexploded ordnance in Gaza

This is an example of an Explosive Hazard Assessment done by Humanity & Inclusion's team in Gaza. It took place in Deir el-Balah last December.

Powerful earthquake in Myanmar: HI teams are on the ground
© Sai Aung MAIN / AFP
Emergency

Powerful earthquake in Myanmar: HI teams are on the ground

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Humanity & Inclusion, which is present in the country, is currently assessing the extent of the damage and preparing to intervene.

Maintaining the cold chain in emergencies: a challenge being met by Atlas Logistique
© T. N'Daou / HI
Emergency

Maintaining the cold chain in emergencies: a challenge being met by Atlas Logistique

In humanitarian crises, a variation of just one degree can make the difference between a drug's effectiveness and the irreversible loss of this effectiveness.

FOLLOW US