February 26 – March 10, 2009, representatives of the L.I.CO.S. international cooperation laboratory visited child care centers in Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Rivne oblasts. The visit was a part of the MELO project, carried out jointly with the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation’s Hospital to Hospital program.
L.I.CO.S.’s MELO project envisages creating a partners network between patient care institutions, local government bodies, and guardianship authorities to work for children’s benefit on the city and oblast levels, as well as nation-wide. The goal of the present visit was establishing cooperation between Brescia Children’s Hospital and OKHMATDIT Ukrainian Specialized Children’s Hospital.
In each oblast L.I.CO.S. representatives met with head physicians of oblast children’s hospitals, local state healthcare administrations, boarding schools, and orphanages to assess possibilities for aid in course of further actions within the framework of hospital-to-hospital cooperation.
At the Zakarpattia Oblast Children’s Hospital L.I.CO.S. representatives discussed with its medical staff and Head Physician Dr. Yelizaveta Birov the issues of general children’s surgery. At the meeting with local authorities in Uzhhorod, creating of a children’s cardio surgery center was discussed on the basis of the existing cardio welfare institution.
In Ivano-Frankivsk, head physician of the local children’s hospital Dr. Rostyslav Koturbash was interested in educational exchanges, initiatives in the field of craniofacial surgery, and studying innovative technologies in neuro-psychiatrical rehabilitation. Also under discussion were issues related to education and support to families.
In Rivne oblast, L.I.CO.S. representatives visited local children’s hospital, discussing with Head Physician Dr. Vitaly Boyko and representatives of local authorities a series of initiatives aimed at creating a specialized children’s cardio surgery center. They also visited two orphanages.
At the Lviv Oblast Specialized Pediatric Hospital, L.I.CO.S. representatives met with the hospital’s administration to discuss the MELO project, defining mutual requirements, necessary for implementing exchange programs and using telemedicine and remote diagnostic equipment.
All facilities, administrations, and hospitals visited by L.I.CO.S. representatives displayed their interest in the potential for medical staff exchange programs and using telemetric diagnosing systems. Also very acute is the need for specific activities using neuro-psychiatric rehabilitation methods, aimed at active social integration of children with special needs and using progressive models adopted by other European countries.
Also, all partners voiced the need to extend the initiatives dealing with children in orphanages, requiring specific surgical interventions (in part, cardio and orthopedic surgery). Also, there was a number of ideas on creating a program and action plan for specialized trainings for people able to become foster parents or adopt children. L.I.CO.S. is working on this area within the framework of its MELO project together with the State Social Service at the Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth, and Sports.
The events within the MELO project’s framework continued in Kyiv with signing an agreement on cooperation with the Friends of the Children Association charitable fund. Also, a meeting took place between the L.I.CO.S. representatives and Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation, the MELO project’s major partner within the framework of its Hospital to Hospital program.
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