Ukraine: HI trains health professionals in specialized physical therapy

Caring for burns patients

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

HI has already delivered online training to rehabilitation teams and physical therapy 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 organization 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.