Direct Relief announced plans to infuse another $10 million to support rehabilitation efforts for those with war injuries in Ukraine. The funding announcement was made by Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe at the Unbroken Rehabilitation Center in Lviv during the First National Rehabilitation Conference, which includes over 300 leading academic scientists, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and patients to share best practices and insights on rehabilitation services in Ukraine.
“It is Direct Relief’s privilege to witness the heroic efforts of health providers and patients dealing with the profound physical and psychological impacts of this devastating conflict,” said Tighe. “Organizations like Unbroken continue to meet the enormous demands of war-time rehabilitation efforts for the injured. The courage and commitment of all involved cannot be overstated.”
Direct Relief is sponsoring the conference, during which Unbroken performed a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new seven-story rehabilitation building.
“People affected by war should be treated in the best possible conditions. Here the conditions are really the best. From a centimeter to a meter – all areas for our patients. Here is a team of the best doctors and nurses who will treat our patients. This corpus was not made by one person, it was made by a huge team of different people from different cities in Ukraine and the world. I want to thank everyone: from the medical orderly and the doctor to the mayor and the city, to the deputies. I want to thank our sponsors, partner cities: Freiburg, Wroclaw, and their mayors. To thank our great benefactor, Direct Relief, which helps us tremendously, to thank the German government, the Swiss Embassy. And to everyone who helped make it all the best. From tomorrow, this building will start accepting patients: both inpatient and outpatient, from all over Ukraine.”Oleh Samchuk, general director of the First Medical Association of Lviv.
Direct Relief is providing support to fully outfit two suites with rehabilitation equipment and allow training for up to 32 patients. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), nearly 12,000 Ukrainian civilians and untold more Ukrainian soldiers have suffered injuries since the start of the war. Many require significant medical interventions to repair trauma and physically rehabilitate.
Since the war’s start, supporting rehabilitation and recovery from war injuries, both physical and psychological, has been a core focus of Direct Relief. Including the funding allocation amount announced, Direct Relief has set aside $15 million to support rehabilitation and recovery efforts in Ukraine.
Direct Relief has helped Unbroken procure rehabilitation equipment, develop treatment protocols, and train rehabilitation personnel. The organization’s rehabilitation program includes amputation recovery, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychosocial support. Direct Relief is also a recognized international partner of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and supports several groups in Ukraine and regionally with requested medical aid—including trauma kits, cancer drugs, insulin, rare disease medications, and more.
See also: 🔴 LIVE UPDATES | Humanitarian response to Ukraine crisis
