(Vienna, 12 September 2023) Leading global medical institutions, including MedUni Vienna, signed cooperation agreements with Ukrainian medical institutions at a summit in Kiev. MedUni Vienna will work with Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University in addition to existing collaborations with medical universities in Odessa and Ternopil.
The International Medical Partnership Program was launched at a summit of health ministers from 14 different countries at the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv, which was dedicated to the mental health of people in Ukraine. Heads of leading Ukrainian and international health institutions also participated in the event to initiate bilateral cooperation.
The aim of this cooperation initiative is to promote bilateral relations between healthcare institutions of the countries for exchange of experience and management practices, improvement of quality of medical care, education and training, and strengthening of international medical partnership.
The two universities aim at joint activities and cooperation in the field of research, education and management in order to implement international technologies, European standards and protocols. A main focus is on the topics of rehabilitation and mental health, in which there is also cooperation with the Superhumans Center, a planned state-of-the art rehabilitation center in Lviv. Experts from the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at MedUni Vienna will advise and train Ukrainian colleagues.
"We have identified areas of cooperation with Rector Orest Chemerys' team and MedUni Vienna will share its expertise not only in clinical matters but also in the area of administration," explains Michaela Fritz, Vice Rector of MedUni Vienna, "but there is also much that we can learn from our Ukrainian partners, not least an admirable resilience.”
"Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine is having a dramatic impact on the physical and mental health of the population. Austria is helping Ukraine in many ways. Supporting the people also directly on the ground with effective aid projects is for me a sign of solidarity," emphasizes Health Minister Johannes Rauch. "As the Ministry of Health, we have been supporting the training of medical personnel in the areas of trauma care, emergency medical measures and psychological care since 2019. I am pleased that the cooperation between the Medical University of Vienna and the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University will further deepen the cooperation in these areas. In May this year, I was also able to meet the founder of the modern "Superhumans" center, which specializes in multidisciplinary rehabilitation of war victims. By working with the Medical University of Vienna, we can once again strengthen our support for the people of Ukraine."
About Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University
Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University (LNMU) is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical universities in Ukraine, with a history dating back to 1784. LNMU offers a wide range of medical programs, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and pediatrics, with some programs offered in English. It is located in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine. The university collaborates with the Superhumans Center, which specializes in rehabilitation for war wounded.