In its first year, it produced over 200 prostheses for the victims of the war in Ukraine. The clinic – which opened in Lviv in September 2022 – was part of “Unbroken Ukraine”, the project set up by Malteser Ukraine, the Order of Malta’s relief organisation operating in the country. For its first anniversary, the clinic welcomed visitors to show how the team of specialists makes the prosthetic limbs.
“In the last 12 months we’ve applied 215 prostheses on people who thus didn’t have to leave the country to receive help. In the future we want our citizens who have suffered because of the war to be able to live a full life after the trauma. The prosthetic limbs are free and can be designed for walking, but also for running and swimming; we’re talking about high-tech prosthetic devices,” declared Oleg Samchuk, director general of Lviv’s first medical association.
Six months ago, Oleksandr Morskyi, member of the Ukrainian border guard, from Mariupol, also received a mechanical hand prosthesis from the Lviv clinic. “The appearance of the prosthesis has opened up new prospects. I’ve gained more confidence in myself, I can do most things alone, I no longer need help. In addition, the presence of a prosthesis is, first of all, psychological support. Because you feel like a normal person, just like everyone else,” he said.
“We’re very satisfied with the results obtained and we thank all the medical and technical staff who helped to make these 200 prostheses. It’s an ambitious project that fulfills an important need for the country,” said Pavlo Titko, head of the Order of Malta’s assistance service in Ukraine.
The project is supported by the German Foreign Office and was achieved thanks to Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s international relief agency, on the initiative of the German Ministry of Health and with the assistance of the German Embassy in Ukraine.
The Order of Malta continues to be an important player in Ukraine since it manages the distribution of essential goods in over 60 locations in the country. Thanks to a network of doctors and healthcare personnel, it also offers psycho-social support and medical assistance for refugees and displaced persons.
