Rehabilitation of a Victim of Armed Conflict in Ukraine
Continuous hostilities in Ukraine and their legacy (huge number of explosive remnants of war, including landmines and cluster munitions) continue to pose an immediate threat to human security, endangering the lives of civilian population. Humanitarian situation in Ukraine is dire with many people struggling to satisfy the basic needs and with government struggling to provide medical assistance.
According to the UN, at least 6,832 persons including 68 children have so far lost their lives while additional 17,087 persons including 182 children have been wounded in east of Ukraine and are thus in a need for immediate psychosocial as well as physical rehabilitation. There are insufficient local capacities in Ukraine to be able to provide proper physical rehabilitation to all victims of armed conflict in need.
In March 2015, ITF has together with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Kyiv initiated a fund-raising campaign to ensure a physical rehabilitation of children, victims of war in Ukraine. An unselfish support provided by the public as well as private donor community has ensured a 45-days long physical rehabilitation of a 10-year old girl from Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast who lost her leg and suffered severe lower-limb injuries during the armed conflict in Ukraine. Until December 3, 2015 the first phase of a comprehensive rehabilitation treatment was concluded at University Rehabilitation Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (URI Soča), during which the girl was fitted a bellow-knee prosthesis to support her reintegration into the society. Following rehabilitation phases will be needed once the girl overgrows current prosthesis, with a second phase anticipated already in summer/autumn 2016.
A comprehensive physical rehabilitation was enabled with the generous support of following donors: Katrin Int. d.o.o., Vitamed d.o.o, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Krka d.d. Novo mesto, Ukrainian community in Slovenia, Honorary Consul Mrs Mayya Martynenko, Bonamm d.o.o., Honorary Consul Mr Vladyslav Burda, Mr Alexey Kulik, , FRI svetovanje d.o.o., Ms Ksenja Olmer/Lantern projects, Gostol-Gopan d.o.o., Avtomatika Gaspirc d.o.o., Mr Stanislav Raščan, Mr Artme Churakov and ITF employees.