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Regional Reports – Ukraine
Dear Colleagues:
During the 10th anniversary Congress of the European Association of Palliative Care (Budapest, June, 2007) we made the decision to participate in the celebration of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on the 6th of October, 2007. In Ukraine, an organizing committee was created to celebrate this day. Allow me, as a coordinator of the organization committee and Vice-President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care, to inform you about the events that were conducted in our country.
The national and local governmental bodies, medical establishments, establishments of social defense, public organizations, including mass media from all regions of Ukraine joined the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care in preparation for the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.
An active role in the preparation for recognizing the World Day was contributed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Healthcare, and also public organizations such as the All Ukrainian Council for Patient Rights and Safety Defense, and the Association of Medical Workers.
Among the events, that were conducted with the support of the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care, were:
An international conference “Right to have a deserving life” was held during which the World Day program was presented and discussed. The conference resulted in the signing of a Declaration between France and Ukraine to cooperate to train and elaborate the legislative base on patient rights.
There was a Kyiv press conference devoted to the day of hospice and palliative care which was followed by a charity concert of organ music in the St. Alexander Temple and a theatrical entertainment.
There was a round table in Lugansk press centre where participants represented healthcare and social policy departments, various churches, medical workers, public organizations, and mass media. There was a charity concert organised in the Lugansk Regional Clinical Hospital and then there was a general funeral service for people who have died due to mortal illnesses. Two radio and two television programs were aired. There were three press publications on palliative care issues. Dr. Olena Enenko, a member of the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care played a very active role in the organization of these events.
In Kherson, a conference dedicated to the prospects of palliative care development was held. The representatives of administration, medical establishments and public organizations participated in it. Television and radio reports about local hospice activity were broadcasted by local mass media. Similar measures also took place in Mykolaiiv.
In Zolotonosha (Cherkasy region), an action called “Ame Roma!” which means “Lets go ahead, Gypsies! took place through an initiative of the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care. The main purpose of this action was to focus attention on the necessity of palliative care for people who are members of vulnerable groups, and to highlight the problems involved in developing grants for home palliative care. This action was organized with the help of the Gypsies minority community in Cherkasy region. Also, an art exhibition of paintings was organized by a local Gypsies NGO.
There was also a conference and meeting of the interdepartmental working groups in Ivano-Frankivsâk. It was dedicated to the problem of legislation improvement on palliative care issues. Thirty-five leading domestic and international experts in the field of palliative care took part in it. Dr. Ljudmila Andriishyn, head of the local hospice, was one of organizers of the event.
There was an initiative by the All Ukrainian Council for Patient Rights and Safety which brings together the representatives of different religions and the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. They prepared an address to the faithful and parishioners. M. Panochkoâ, central office and Chairman of the All Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelic Christians, reported that the Union had organized a special prayer service for patients with mortal diseases, their care-givers and members of their families in the parishes of their denomination during October, 2007.
There was a positive reaction of the civil society to the call made by the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care for changes toward the humanization of relations between medical, social, legal and other services, authority and society.
We would be pleased to receive your comments and recommendations about this news. We are also open to cooperation with you in the sphere of palliative care and would be thankful for your ideas on it.
Sincerely yours,
Victor Serdiuk,
Vice-President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Palliative Care
E-mail: [email protected]
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