First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska had a video call with First Lady of Poland Agata Kornhauser-Duda. The wife of the Ukrainian President thanked for the constant and active assistance to Ukraine.
"I am impressed by how quickly you respond to the requests of the Ukrainian side and provide appropriate assistance. I fondly recall our meeting in the fall of 2022 in Warsaw and our joint breakfast, during which we discussed a number of initiatives. And now, six months later, they have been implemented," the First Lady of Ukraine said.
Olena Zelenska noted, in particular, the humanitarian aid for 3,000 family-type children’s homes in the Zhytomyr region, which was handed over in January 2023 by Brigadier General Mirosław Wiklik, Deputy Head of the National Security Bureau, on behalf of Agatha Kornhauser-Duda. The aid was given to three families raising a total of 31 children.
The President's wife noted that Ukrainian medics were trained in Poland: 4 groups of Ukrainian specialists (49 people) from the Emergency Medical Aid Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as well as from Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Cherkasy regional emergency medical aid centers, have already participated in the joint HEMS (Helicopter emergency medical services) project. They practiced aid provision in case of sudden cardiac arrest on board the helicopter and transferring the patient to an ambulance; flying to a patient with sudden cardiac arrest, burns, injuries, etc., as well as to the scene of a car accident; and interacting with ambulance medics and firefighters.
During the ten-day training course, the specialists underwent theoretical training and acquired practical skills in operating the EC135 helicopter. The Ukrainian medics worked directly on the helicopters as part of Polish air brigades. The last group of 11 people will be trained in late March and early April.
The Ukrainian teams of the burn centers also underwent training at the Eastern Polish Burn Treatment and Reconstructive Surgery Center. It was attended by 39 medics, including burn surgeons, anesthesiologists, specialists in physical and rehabilitation medicine, and physiotherapists working with patients with severe burn injuries.
The training of Ukrainian doctors in this area is extremely necessary, as the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine has resulted in a large number of victims with explosive and burn injuries.
During the training, the Ukrainian medical teams mastered modern methods of treating critical thermal injuries, including emergency care, infusion and transfusion therapy, dynamic monitoring of the patient's condition, and prevention and correction of complications. The last group of doctors is currently undergoing training.
"In addition to training, this cooperation in aeromedical evacuation and treatment of burn injuries is also important because Polish and Ukrainian medics are working on a joint algorithm of actions. Ukraine is steadily moving towards joining the European Union. Accordingly, the interaction of emergency medical services, the creation of a single medical space, in particular in the medical evacuation of the sick and wounded, is an important step in the European integration of Ukrainian medicine," Olena Zelenska said.
The wife of the President of Ukraine proposed to the First Lady of Poland the implementation of possible joint educational programs:
1) Training of Ukrainian psychologists and psychiatrists at the Clinic of Psychiatry, Combat Stress and Psychotraumatology of the Military Medical Institute (Poland).
2) Training in rehabilitation of wounded for Ukrainian medical personnel at the rehabilitation clinic of the Military Medical Institute.
"Ukraine is also interested in Poland's experience in implementing the Safe School project, which is extremely relevant for the Ukrainian education system today. In particular, the creation of specially equipped interactive classrooms in secondary education institutions based on the model of Polish Ognik classrooms, where students learn the rules of fire, mine safety and civil defense," the First Lady of Ukraine said.
She also emphasized the importance of the joint initiative of Poland and the European Commission announced at the end of February 2023. It concerns Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, their deportation to Russia and forced adoption there. The initiative envisages joint efforts to collect evidence in order to find Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and bring those responsible for this crime to justice. It will be implemented under the patronage of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki with the support of UN agencies. The decision on specific steps to implement this initiative is to be approved personally by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland in the near future.
Olena Zelenska emphasized that the issue of returning Ukrainian children home is one of the most important for our country.