Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people with long-term injuries requiring complex care in Ukraine. These include people with blast injuries, shrapnel wounds and limb amputations, all of whom require intensive, specialised care. The increased demand for early rehabilitation services has put extra strain on the country’s healthcare system. In response, MSF (OCB) launched an early rehabilitation project at Cherkasy hospital, in central Ukraine, in March 2023. The project integrates physiotherapy, psychological support, and nursing care to address the complex needs of war-wounded patients early in their recovery process.
In 2023, MSF (OCG) also started providing specialised psychotherapeutic services in Ukraine for people experiencing war-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in Vinnytsia. A newly custom designed mental health centre was opened in September this year. MSF offers psychological sessions for both individuals and members of the patient’s support network. Our teams provide them with techniques to help reduce and prevent worsening of symptoms, increase coping skills, improve interpersonal functionality, and decrease consequences of traumatic stress.
The visit of the International Secretary General to OCG and OCB projects is an opportunity to draw attention to the crisis faced by the people of Ukraine, who are suffering from the short-, medium-, and long-term consequences of a war whose first tremors began more than ten years ago.