Nadija Children’s Hospital & Research Institute
Creating a brighter future for the children of Ukraine
The need for mental and physical rehabilitation & health care for war-exposed children in Ukraine is urgent. The vision of the Nadija Children’s Hospital and Research Institute is to provide professional and evidence-based mental and physical healthcare services to all children and families in Ukraine.
The project Nadija will support Ukraine’s healthcare system through three stages, starting with Stage 1: a digital twin solution in the form of a virtual hospital to maximize speed and reach. A research institute with an academy will ensure access to the best capabilities and knowledge (Stage 2). Over time, a physical hospital and rehabilitation centre will help build even stronger support (Stage 3).
In the project’s first stage, we are raising €10M, which will allow us to reach an estimated 1.5 million affected children.
The Foundation for Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Nadija is founded by foundations and companies from the Nordic countries and is led by a Board of Directors from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
The Challenge
TREATMENT OF PHYSICAL TRAUMA
Ukraine’s healthcare system is facing significant supply and resourcing issues caused by patients seeking treatment for direct physical trauma and injuries resulted from the conflict.
LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Mental healthcare is significantly underfunded (6.25 USD per capita vs. 58.71 USD per capita in high-income countries) and there’s a relatively low number of psychologists per capita.
CARE IS EXPENSIVE
Up to 90 % of inpatients must pay for mental health services themselves, and outpatients must pay for all services, leading to high out- of-pocket expenditure. Also, the war has caused 8 million additional Ukrainians living in poverty by the end of 2022.
INSUFFICIENT FACILITIES
Healthcare facilities are overutilized or not available in all regions due to the war. There’s been more than 1262 attacks on healthcare facilities since February 2022.
FINDING THE RIGHT HELP IS HARD
Ukraine’s mental healthcare system is in transition and has a complex constellation of actors who provide mental healthcare including NGOs, NPOs an private psychologists/therapists making discovery and access to services difficult.
INSUFFICIENT TOOLS AND TRAINING
Ukrainian healthcare professionals say they urgently need appropriate training on treatment methods, protocols, and choosing from a wide variety of treatment options as well as platforms to deliver the services.
Today we significantly underestimate the number of children that have suffered from the war and need specific type of medical assistance. Of course, there is official statistics, but it is far from complete. A lot of children that required specific medical assistance and care currently undergo treatment abroad, but plan to return to Ukraine.
Among the most needed types of care are reconstructive plastic surgery, orthopedic surgeries and physical rehabilitation including prosthetics. Another area worth special attention is the mental health of children, including PTSD resulting from war trauma.
And finally we have to think about children with different chronic conditions from the territories of combat zone. Their conditions worsen due to stress factors and limited access to medical care.
Dr. Oleksiy Rykov, Head of Pediatrics Dobrobut medical network