Momentum Wheels for Humanity Teams Up with Ukraine's Ministry of Health to Transform Rehabilitation Care for Injured and Disabled Ukrainians

Momentum Wheels for Humanity, a global organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with physical disabilities, has announced a formal partnership with Ukraine's Ministry of Health to enhance the accessibility and quality of rehabilitation care for injured and disabled Ukrainians.

CHATSWORTH, Calif., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Momentum Wheels for Humanity, a global organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with physical disabilities, has announced a formal partnership with Ukraine's Ministry of Health to enhance the accessibility and quality of rehabilitation care for injured and disabled Ukrainians.

With the signing of a memorandum of understanding on February 7, 2023, Momentum Wheels for Humanity and the Ministry of Health are taking concrete steps to build up the systems and workforce needed in Ukraine to provide long-term quality rehabilitation services and assistive technology (AT), including wheelchairs, prostheses, orthoses and a range of other mobility and daily living aids. The formal partnership builds on their long-time collaboration to ensure that Ukrainians with disabilities have access to essential care for their health and well-being.

Momentum Wheels for Humanity's Executive Director, Kate Selengia, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, "This partnership solidifies Ukraine's commitment to its most vulnerable population. We will continue to work tirelessly to improve and increase Ukraine's available rehabilitation services, ensuring that more people in need across Ukraine are able to access the services and products they need to recover from injury and to live as independently as possible."

Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health in Ukraine, expressed enthusiasm for Momentum Wheels for Humanity's past contributions and ongoing commitment to support, stating, "Through its work in Ukraine, Momentum Wheels for Humanity has demonstrated its unique competencies in the area of AT and rehabilitation. Momentum Wheels for Humanity has positively impacted Ukraine's rehabilitation sector, and we appreciate their contributions and partnership."

Momentum Wheels for Humanity has worked in Ukraine for over 25 years, and since 2014 has supported the Ministry of Health to develop and strengthen rehabilitation services within the national health system through technical assistance and workforce development activities, including training, policy advisement, and in-depth capacity building within health facilities.

"The war has created an influx of newly injured people in need of physical rehabilitation and mobility aids, and those with pre-existing mobility impairments need continued access to services and supplies to ensure their health and safety," said Momentum Wheels for Humanity's Ukraine Country Director, Natalia Melnychenko. "In partnership with the Ministry of Health, and with our implementing partners, we are supporting the development of specialized rehabilitation services, providing humanitarian aid for persons with disabilities, and partnering with hospitals and universities to educate the next generation of physical and occupational therapists."

Currently, Momentum Wheels for Humanity's work includes establishing an assistive product distribution and training hub in Lviv that will address the unmet need for assistive products. The hub will store and dispatch wheelchairs and other assistive products to its network of partner health facilities and serve as a space for product demonstrations, service provision, and training. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, Momentum Wheels for Humanity will provide training and products to establish AT clinics within health facilities throughout western and central Ukraine.

Since the start of the conflict, gaps in capacity to provide rehabilitation to patients with spinal cord injuries have become more evident. Momentum Wheels for Humanity is working with the Lviv Territorial Medical Union Hospital (TMU) to establish a dedicated spinal cord injury unit, including providing technical guidance on setting up and equipping the unit and building the capacity of multidisciplinary teams of rehabilitation professionals and peer mentors working with spinal injury patients at TMU and other health facilities in Ukraine. Momentum Wheels for Humanity is also partnering with universities and government hospitals in Lviv, Kyiv, Lutsk, Ternopil, and Ivano Frankivsk to develop and enhance clinical education programs for physical and occupational therapists, which are critical to building a pipeline of qualified rehabilitation professionals.

Momentum Wheels for Humanity's programs are generously funded by USAID, USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance through Project Hope, and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM). To support Ukaraine's most vulnerable population, consider donating to Momentum Wheels for Humanity at momentum4humanity.org/donate.

Media Contact

Amy Korngiebel, Momentum Wheels for Humanity, 1 818-255-0100, [email protected]

SOURCE Momentum Wheels for Humanity