Ukrainian Federation of America announces health care project for Ukraine

PHILADELPHIA - The Ukrainian Federation of America, based in Philadelphia, has finalized a plan for a major health care initiative for Ukraine. Called "Project Lifeline," the initiative follows a series of meetings in Ukraine in December between the federation, the first lady of Ukraine, representatives of the international fund Ukraine 3000, the Ministry of Health and representatives of various international health care organizations, including Safe Blood International, the World Hemophilia Foundation and the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations.

The focus of this initiative will be on the health needs of children and adolescents with particular emphasis on family medicine/preventive medicine, safe blood, HIV/AIDS, hemophilia and general oncology, and related areas.

Following a three-hour meeting with First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko and members of her staff at Ukraine 3000, the federation delegation traveled to Kharkiv for a series of meetings with doctors and staff at the Academy of Medicine.

These meetings reflected a keen interest on the part of the medical community in Ukraine to work aggressively on the initiative with the federation, Ukraine 3000 and associated organizations and groups.

A series of interim meetings will be held by all parties of the initiative to finalize the action plan prior to an implementation meeting, which will again be hosted by the first lady, in late spring in Kyiv.

Members of the delegation included Dr. Zenia Chernyk (chair), Vera Andryczyk (president), Marijka Tatunchak (social services), Dr. Eugene Mochan (family practice medicine), Dr. Roxolana Horbowyj (World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations), former U.S. Rep. Charles Dougherty, Karl Ottosen (Safe Blood International, Ukraine coordinator) and Stephen Robinson (director, World Hemophilia Foundation).

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 19, 2006, No. 12, Vol. LXXIV

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