Nordic Life Science 1
38 S he adds that many more educational initiativ
es, and perhaps even shifts in worldview, are needed: “This is so that Ukrainian patients take some responsibility for their health and realize that telemedicine and remote monitoring of chronic conditions are precisely the flexible and free forms of interaction through which they can better control their health. The healthcare system will then be able to take a breather from endless appointments and focus on critical cases.” Most importantly, Pavelko and Flanagan believe that the future of cooperation will increasingly be based on equal partnership. Ukrainian institutions are not only asking for support, they also bring unique experience in resilience, adaptability, crisis response, and healthcare delivery under extreme conditions. Personal experiences Anastasia Flanagan and Kateryna Pavelko are also both from Ukraine and have personal experience of the war, with loved ones still there and scars of their own. Pavelko and her three children (the youngest was only two months old) came to Sweden as a refugee family in March 2022. “The life of my family, my friends and my nation has irrevocably changed,” she says. “My younger brother lives in Dnipro, a city not far from the front line, and he suffers daily from Russian bombs. So I was of course happy to help the Dnipro hospital find partners in Sweden and develop their capacity to help patients.” The healthcare system became even more significant during the war, recalls Pavelko. “After all, this is a place where, despite all the uncertainty, people receive care, their wounds are treated with medicine, painkillers are sought for their pain, they are operated on even during blackouts and give birth in bomb shelters. When I talk about all this, I get goosebumps and I cannot hold back tears. Supporting the Ukrainian healthcare system now is a way to restore the faith of Ukrainians that mankind has not yet lost its humanity.” “What strikes me most is both the exhaustion and the resilience of the healthcare system and the people working within it,” adds Flanagan. “Many healthcare professionals continue working after years of constant pressure, air alarms, staff shortages, emotional trauma, and uncertainty. I think one of the most urgent issues today is human capacity.” “Personally, one of the strongest impressions for me has been seeing how much responsibility healthcare leaders carry today. They are not only administrators. Very often they are crisis managers, communicators, negotiators, psychologists for their teams, and people responsible for keeping entire institutions functioning under wartime conditions. This is why we believe international cooperation matters so much right now. Not only because Ukraine needs support, but because healthcare rebuilding in Ukraine is also becoming a shared European challenge regarding resilience, sustainability, and the future of healthcare systems in crisis conditions,” concludes Flanagan. NLS One important area of Kateryna Pavelko’s and Anastasia Flanagan’s work has been facilitating professional exchange and knowledge transfer. “When I talk about all this, I get goosebumps and I cannot hold back tears. Supporting the Ukrainian healthcare system now is a way to restore the faith of Ukrainians that mankind has not yet lost its humanity.” K ATERYNA PAVELKO UKRAINE // HEALTHCARE PHOTO SWECARE