Norway increases medical assistance to Ukraine
Norway will support a Ukrainian medical rehabilitation facility within the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The support is a part of a NATO founded and led initiative.
"It is necessary to increase the capacity and the quality of the services that are being provided by the medical rehabilitation centres in Ukraine. Norway will therefore take the main responsibility of one centre in order to support the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers", says Norwegian Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram.
A Ukrainian defender who lost both legs in the war is working with a rehabilitation therapist after receiving prosthetics at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv. May 3, 2023. Photo: Roman Baluk / the Collection of war.ukraine.ua
"Physical and mental rehabilitation is a fundamental capability in medical support to armed forces", the Norwegian Surgeon General, Petter Iversen explains.
The Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Medical Services has for some time supported the Armed Forces of Ukraine with aeromedical evacuation, clinical advisory support, education packages and mental resilience training.
Now they will also support rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers. The identified need for rehabilitation is an important addition in the continuous support of the AFU.
Aeromedical evacuation of Ukrainian patients. Photo: Frederik Ringnes / Norwegian Armed Forces
Initially, Norway will provide counseling, teaching and mentoring within treatment and rehabilitation. Interdisciplinary teams will model the approach to continuous ollow-up of the patients.
Norway will also contribute with advisors within administration, medical services, building and construction, and medical equipment. The support will be financed throug NATO funding made possible due to donations from Norway and several other allies and partner nations.
Rehabilitation of injured soldiers has several purposes, explains the Norwegian Surgeon General.
“First of all, the injured soldiers will be able to return to duty as soon as possible. Further it is important for soldiers, when they go into risky situations, that they are confident that they will be taken good care of if injured. This is positive for recruitment and will also make a military force more robust.”
