Zolotonosha, 20th of October 2023 - Today, a new medical and social rehabilitation department was opened in the Social Support Centre in Zolotonosha. This is a significant event that will provide quality medical and social care to people affected by the hostilities and various vulnerable groups.

The opening of the medical and social rehabilitation unit was made possible thanks to the joint efforts and support of local authorities and charities, including the VPLYV Fund. This new facility is a logical continuation of other successful projects implemented in Zolotonosha aimed at improving the quality of life of socially vulnerable groups.

The medical and social rehabilitation department in the city started its activities in 2020. This year, a specialised unit for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities was established. This initiative provided children with the necessary medical and psychological services in close proximity to their homes.

Today, the unit serves 80 to 100 children annually, including children of the internally displaced persons living in the community. Two specialised vehicles are used to transport the children, which ensures that services are accessible to residents of nearby villages.

In 2022, the demand for psychological support increased by 50%, and requests for rehabilitation services increased by 40%.The main requests came from people affected by the war, people with disabilities and veterans. Unfortunately, the centre could not meet all requests for adults due to the lack of appropriate rehabilitation facilities. The new adult ward was opened in spring 2023 thanks to the joint efforts of the team and the support of local authorities and charity. The centre was renovated, the necessary rehabilitation equipment was purchased, and specialists were properly trained.

The city authorities allocated UAH 1.6 million for repairs and landscaping, while VPLYV Fund invested UAH 1.0 million in the purchase of equipment for the department. The new unit will provide up to 160 hours of rehabilitation sessions per month and will support 25 to 50 people per month, depending on the length of the courses and the complexity of the injuries. It also introduces primary psychological care as part of comprehensive rehabilitation services.

Ihor Taburets, the Head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, emphasised: "The realisation of this project is in line with the priorities of the state policy to restore the physical and mental health of veterans, their families and other citizens. This project demonstrates the importance of providing social services at the local level and is an example of a successful public-private partnership in overcoming the difficulties of social adaptation and integration that have arisen as a result of many factors, including the Russian aggression against Ukraine."

Vitaliy Voitsekhivskyi, an MP of Ukraine, added: "Today's event, the opening of the rehabilitation department, is the result of the joint work of a team of different structural units of the executive committee of our community. Rehabilitation in the local community for pensioners and children with disabilities has been in place for over two years. This project is designed to rehabilitate the soldiers after injuries and all citizens affected by the war. I hope that this is just the beginning of a lot of work, the results of which will allow us to help other communities and develop our facility."

Vita Mykolaiuk, the Chairwoman of the Board of VPLYV Fund, summed up: "The Zolotonosha Centre is a reliable partner that implements the principle of ensuring the quality of human life and maintains the sustainability of the implemented projects. The overall goal of this latest project is to create conditions for the comprehensive rehabilitation of people who have been injured as a result of military operations. The project is designed to help people recover from their injuries, promote socialisation and preserve their families, as family members of the victims can also receive assistance. The services are provided as close as possible to the person and their place of residence, which is important as often a person needs long-term rehabilitation."

This opening is of great importance for the city of Zolotonosha and the Cherkasy region as a whole, as it aims to improve the quality of life of people in need and provides important aid to people affected by the hostilities.