By Sofiia Tiapkina
All across Ukraine — in Kyiv and Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv, and many other small and big cities — prosthetics centers keep emerging due to the ever-increasing demand. Since russia’s invasion in 2014, there has been a massive need for medical attention in Ukraine, prompting rapid advancements in the country’s prosthetics industry. The Protez Hub platform is one of Nova Ukraine’s closest partners in leading systemic changes in Ukraine’s prosthetics and orthotics industry.
Ukraine has made tremendous strides toward reaching international standards of medical healthcare. Still, until very recently, anyone could call themselves a prosthetist or orthotist. Individuals with diverse, often unrelated backgrounds, could attempt to fill these roles without a standardized level of competency or education. Some of the P&O specialists built on their extensive experience with additional courses, while others followed the same approaches for years, not heeding the global trends in the industry.
With the support of Nova Ukraine, Protez Hub set out to help regulate the P&O sector and establish an advanced educational framework for the years to come. Antonina Kumka, CEO of Protez Hub, explains the process. “In cooperation with Kharkiv National Medical University and the University of Jönköping (Sweden), we give [the P&O] specialists the opportunity to confirm that they have the relevant knowledge and skills that meet the requirements of the professional standard. We are proud that this initiative has been supported by the American Certification Board for Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics.”
For those new to the profession, Protez Hub is launching a Master’s degree program at three universities. The first group of experienced specialists is already undergoing the relevant specialization course at the Kharkiv National Medical University, with the support of foreign colleagues. Nova Ukraine is proud to support Ukraine in becoming self-sufficient in the P&O professions, reaching global standards, and strengthening connections with our international experts.
Creating this network of prosthetics and orthotics specialists becomes a more pressing task with each passing day. As russia continues to target Ukrainian civilians and medical facilities, at least 35,000 people are waiting for some kind of prosthetic at this very moment. More than that, over 30% of Ukraine’s territory has become killing fields full of hidden landmines. Even if the war ended today, it would take years to demine the land. This is why we need to support Ukraine’s P&O industry now.
We invite you to join us in our mission to provide the people of Ukraine with the best prosthetic solutions. Learn more about our medical aid projects.
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