United to win: Estonia plans to establish modern center for rehabilitation and prosthetics in Zhytomyr region
Recently, at the behest of Ukrainian People's Deputy Arseniy Pushkarenko, Riina Sikkut, Minister of Health of the Republic of Estonia, paid a visit to the Zhytomyr Region to gain an understanding of the operational procedures in one of the region's rehabilitation establishments.
The Minister could see with her own eyes how the rehabilitation of Ukrainian military and civilian citizens is progressing and talked with the medical staff. Following that, they visited one of the medical and sanatorium facilities to explore the feasibility of establishing a modern Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Center for Ukraine's defenders with Estonia's support.
As Arseniy Pushkarenko noted, for the first time, the question of creating a Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Center in the Zhytomyr region under the patronage of the President of Estonia (2016–2021) Kersti Kaljulaid and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health of Estonia was discussed during the stay of the Ukrainian delegation in Tallinn in June 2023.
"Unfortunately, due to the ongoing war, the number of people who will need prosthetics and rehabilitation will only increase, so the need for such Centers will also increase. The presence of a network of modern specialized medical facilities will enable our Heroes to return to civilian life faster. At the same time, I want to emphasize that the rehabilitation of our defenders should be comprehensive, both physically and psychologically," said the People's Deputy.
He also mentioned that Estonia had provided substantial assistance and support in rehabilitating Ukrainian service members. In particular, in 2023, the Government of the Republic of Estonia allocated 3 million euros for the rehabilitation of the Ukrainian military, and ten defenders have already received modern prosthetics and completed a corresponding rehabilitation course in Tallinn. This program fits soldiers who lost limbs with cutting–edge bionic prostheses.
"In general, it is planned that during this year, about 20 Ukrainian military personnel will receive such prosthetics and rehabilitation from Estonia. Also, in October, 40 Ukrainian specialists, including ten from the Zhytomyr region, will go to Tallinn to learn from the experience of their Estonian colleagues," Arseniy Pushkarenko emphasized.
For reference:
The Republic of Estonia was the first to answer Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call to sponsor the rebuilding of a particular region or city, taking on the responsibility of the Zhytomyr region.
In the summer of 2023, the first object of recovery of Ukraine was opened in Ovruch on the border – a kindergarten, the funds for the construction of which were allocated by the Estonian Government.
In addition, this country is helping to rebuild the bridge destroyed by a Russian missile in Malyn.
Estonia has already transferred a lot of transport vehicles to the region, including special equipment and more than 40 buses.
At the invitation of the Mayor of Tallinn, Mihhail Kõlvart, about 80 children of the Ukrainian military from the Zhytomyr region rested and recovered in Estonia.
Also, with the support of Estonia, it is planned to build 8 settlements for family-type children's homes in the Zhytomyr region for three years. For this, two plots of land have already been allocated in the Zhytomyr and Bereziv communities.
