The annual meeting of the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya with its partners from the Parasolka Association from Switzerland continued in Zakarpattia during the week.

The week was quite eventful, including visits to the institutions that the Committee takes care of with the support of the Association and other partners of the Committee. Members of the Association visited the regional children orphanage in Vilshany, the Social Abilitation and Rehabilitation Centre "Parasolka" in Tyachiv, Uzhhorod and Tyachiv shelters, and also met with the leadership of the Tyachiv City Community.

To find out what changes have taken place in the field of social protection since the beginning of the large-scale russian-Ukrainian war, meetings were held with the heads of the Regional Department for Social Protection of Population and the National Social Service in Zakarpattia region.

"Here, in Ukraine, we have seen with our own eyes that important reforms are not standing still, that changes in the social sphere are ongoing, that institutions are developing and gaining new powers. This information is somewhat different from the information we receive outside Ukraine, and these differences inspire optimism. I am confident that the consolidation of state institutions and the public sector will not allow the previous achievements to be lost because of the war", said Andreas Schmid, President of the Parasolka Association.

The Swiss colleagues saw the transformations taking place in Vilshany, where the construction of an inclusive cafe-shop and reconstruction of new premises are underway to improve the living conditions of the institution’s residents. The visit to "Parasolka" coincided with the recognition of the institution as one of the best in Ukraine. In addition, Tyachiv now has another facility that falls under the responsibility of the MACZ. It is a shelter in which more than 60 people from the territories affected by the hostilities live. The facility has just completed roof repairs and the installation of solar panels – all within the framework of the large project "Improving the Protection of Children in Emergencies in Ukraine by Providing Safe Shelters, Food and Non-Food Items, and Psychosocial Support", which is being implemented with the support of the NGO "terre des hommes Deutschland e.V." and funding from the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

The Uzhhorod shelter "PrykhystOK" hosted almost all the conferences as part of the Association’s meeting. There were discussions of educational and humanitarian projects, meetings with the Committee’s team, etc. Besides, partners from Switzerland visited the humanitarian battalion and learned about the specifics of our volunteers’ work at the warehouse.

"As for the medical component of the warehouse functioning, it is a lot of work. Specialists not only process requests, but also find out the specifics of using this or that foreign medical equipment, and look for the corresponding needs in Ukrainian hospitals. It is the same with drug analogs. This is an important and responsible job, and we are glad that it is being done at the proper level", emphasized Henny Graf, member of the Board of Directors of the Parasolka Association.

Considerable attention was paid to the educational activities of the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya, primarily in view of the implementation of the trilateral cooperation agreement signed four years ago by the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya, Uzhhorod National University and the Parasolka Association (Switzerland). This time it was about the formation of new educational spaces, the need to introduce a dual education format that would increase the professional level of young specialists in terms of practical training, especially rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The agenda also included the search for an optimal model to improve teamwork among medical workers. The members of the Parasolka Presidium discussed these and other issues with Ivan Myronyuk, Vice-Rector for Research at UzhNU. Along with discussions of educational needs, the MACZ and the Parasolka Association successfully held an online lectorium by Swiss specialists in rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, which brought together nearly half a thousand participants from all regions of Ukraine.

"I consider our joint achievement to be the organization of the Committee’s work, which allowed us to simultaneously respond to a lot of challenges and needs of martial law, continue all current projects and not pause the previously planned plans. Yes, it is difficult, but we have been doing it for more than a year and a half", summarized Nataliya Kabatsiy, Director of the Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya".