In summer 2024, French multinational food products corporation Danone signed an official Memorandum of Cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health allocating EUR 3 million to support the development of long-term medical rehabilitation in the country. This funding comes as Ukraine grapples with the unprecedented healthcare challenges presented by Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
Due to the ongoing war with Russia, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have suffered life-changing injuries and are in need of long-term medical support. This is placing enormous strain on the country’s limited rehabilitation facilities, and has spurred efforts to modernize and expand the sector.
The Ministry of Health is currently focused on a number of areas including the development of Ukraine’s rehabilitation infrastructure, the training of medical specialists to address the specific needs of patients requiring rehabilitation treatment, and the standardization of services in line with the best current global practices. Funding support from Danone is expected to help finance comprehensive upgrades at three Ukrainian medical institutions: the Unbroken National Rehabilitation Center, the Center for the Long-Term Medical and Social Rehabilitation of War Veterans, and Ukraine’s National Cancer Institute.
The drive to transform Ukraine’s medical rehabilitation services is not only a response to the present wartime conditions in the country. Indeed, the rehabilitation sector of the Ukrainian healthcare industry has arguably been in need of an overhaul for some time in order to cope with the existing needs of the population. For example, there are currently around one million Ukrainian cancer patients, with approximately half of these requiring access to medical rehabilitation care following specialized treatment. “It is important to remember that not only victims of the war are in need of medical rehabilitation, but also a wide range of other patients who have suffered injuries and illnesses, or who have undergone operations,” comments Olena Yefimenko, the General Director of Ukraine’s National Cancer Institute.
Danone officials say their well-established expertise in the field of food technologies and nutritional support has helped inform the company’s awareness of the crucial role played by rehabilitation within the broader healthcare sector. “Our experience of working with healthcare professionals and patients recovering from surgery or dealing with serious conditions such as cancer has enhanced our understanding of the value and effectiveness of rehabilitation measures to enhance quality of life, improve the effectiveness of treatment, and aid the recovery process,” says Adrian-Valentin Pascu, Danone GM for Central and Eastern Europe. “In line with our socially responsible approach and taking into account the contemporary Ukrainian context, we decided to express our solidarity and support by backing efforts to finance the development of medical rehabilitation in Ukraine.”
Danone has been present in Ukraine for more than two decades. The Paris-based company has invested extensively in Ukraine and has established a strong presence in a number of Ukrainian market segments including dairy products. In May 2024, Danone completed its exit from the Russian market.