On July 27, Kyiv hosted the First International Medical Congress on Military Medicine and Mental Health, organized by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The event, attended by the President of Ukraine, the First Lady, and state leadership, brought together leading experts to improve medical conditions for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, stated, “Our goal is to ensure optimal rehabilitation, whether individuals return to duty or integrate into civilian life. These are our priorities, our mission, which we will implement swiftly because the lives and health of each of our defenders depend on it.”
During the congress, the head of the national RECOVERY project, Svitlana Grytsenko, presented a joint project with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The new innovative RECOVERY center will become the largest in the national network.
“By next winter, we plan to open the doors of the largest center within the RECOVERY network. It will occupy five floors of one of the key hospitals in the Kyiv region and will be able to assist over 100 military personnel simultaneously,” shared Svitlana Grytsenko.
The event also addressed issues of mental health and the sexual rehabilitation of the wounded, considering the experiences of the United States, Israel, and the United Kingdom, with particular emphasis on the unique needs of Ukraine. During a panel discussion, Olga Serdyuk, director of the Olena Pinchuk Foundation, discussed the “RECOVERY. Sexual Life” project, which is being implemented within the RECOVERY network of rehabilitation centers.
“We are pleased that at this event, initiated by the Ministry of Defense, the topic of sexual rehabilitation was addressed at the state level for the first time as an integral part of the recovery of military personnel and their return to a full life,” said Olga Serdyuk, director of the Olena Pinchuk Foundation.
Education is a key priority of the RECOVERY project. The project’s educational initiatives focus on the psychological aspects of interaction between medical professionals and military personnel, as well as their families, to ensure that time spent in the rehabilitation center is beneficial not only physically but also psychologically. To date, nearly 2,000 doctors have participated in various events aimed at enhancing their qualifications.