Norway facilitates rehabilitation of injured children and mental health care efforts in Ukraine

In a new agreement established under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, Norway will provide NOK 53 million in funding for assistance in the health sector in the period from December 2024 to December 2027. The funding is intended to support the health care system development strategy and priorities set out by the Ukrainian Government, and represents a new phase of the institutional health collaboration first initiated between Norway and Ukraine in 2019.  

Among other things, the new agreement will fund efforts to improve suicide prevention, grief support and rehabilitation services for children who have been injured due to Russian attacks. The cooperation will also focus on areas such as crisis management, efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance and the use of data to promote more efficient use of resources and ensure high quality in rehabilitation services.

The institutional collaboration brings together the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Akershus University Hospital, the Resource Centre for Violence, Traumatic Stress and Suicide Prevention (eastern region) and Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital to share their expertise with partners in Ukraine.

Rebuilding and strengthening the Ukrainian health system

‘These Norwegian institutions are offering their experience and knowledge in order to help to rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s health system. This collaboration will not only benefit health care personnel and patients in Ukraine, it will also give Norwegian health professionals a chance to gain new insights,’ said Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

Activities will be targeted towards health agency employees, health and social workers, leaders of health institutions, students in relevant fields and university teaching staff.

Suicide prevention and grief support

Akershus University Hospital has worked together with Ukraine in the areas of grief support and suicide prevention since 2015.

The hospital has developed and implemented a training programme on suicide prevention. In addition to strengthening the practical skills needed to identify suicide risk situations and support people in need, the programme raises awareness about suicide prevention. To date, 3 765 Ukrainians have participated in the programme, which has been carried out in major cities and small communities across most of Ukraine’s regions.   

In cooperation with an NGO in Ukraine, Akershus University Hospital has also provided both direct grief support and training. The hospital has developed guides that have been translated into Ukrainian. Since the project began, some 21 000 Ukrainians have taken part in the training.

Rehabilitation of injured children and adults

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 16 children have been killed or injured in Ukraine every week. Many of the injured children need help to regain basic functionality and to be able to walk, play and run again.

As part of the collaboration, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital and its Ukrainian partners, including a major Ukrainian children’s hospital, have trained 24 physiotherapists and physicians from across Ukraine in high-intensity gait training and other post-stroke treatments.

Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital will use the funding under the new agreement to continue its efforts to improve the quality of treatment for children with neurological conditions.

Prevention of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance poses a global threat to health and is a key area of health-related cooperation funded under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine. Even before Russia’s invasion of the country, Ukraine was facing serious challenges relating to incorrect use of antibiotics and high levels of antimicrobial resistance. Norway has played a key role in establishing the antimicrobial resistance unit at the Public Health Center of Ukraine (PHCU).

Norwegian experts are providing assistance to this unit in various ways, including in drawing up a national action plan against antimicrobial resistance, training health personnel and conducting research on how to improve routines for use of antibiotics and the prevention and control of infections in the health services.

The health sector is one of the priority areas under the Nansen Support Programme. More information about Norwegian support to the health sector is presented in the fact box.

Norwegian health-related support to Ukraine via international partners

World Bank

The World Bank and the multi-donor Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF) provide support to two health programmes: 

1. Health Enhancement and Lifesaving (HEAL) 

This programme focuses on restoring and improving access to mental health care and rehabilitation services as well as restoring and strengthening the primary health care services. It is also necessary to strengthen health institutions that provide services to internally displaced people. Efforts to enhance digitalisation, innovation and capacity building will promote better and more effective delivery of services.

2. Transforming healthcare through reform and investments in efficiency (THRIVE) 

This programme is part of Ukraine’s national health care system development strategy and aims to increase the effectiveness of the country’s health services, strengthen prioritisation processes, improve transparency and enhance management, including financing models.

Norway is the largest contributor to URTF and has provided approximately NOK 200 million in support to the trust fund to date.

World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO is in charge of coordinating the international health response in Ukraine. WHO works with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and more than 190 partners in a joint health response targeting vulnerable groups. In addition to ensuring effective coordination, WHO aims to strengthen Ukraine’s emergency health services, increase access to basic health services and improve resiliency and preparedness in the health system. Activities include trauma treatment and mental health services as well. WHO also monitors the overall health situation in Ukraine and works to build greater capacity.  

Norway has contributed NOK 225 million in support so far.

Norwegian Red Cross

The Norwegian Red Cross works together with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society on humanitarian efforts in the country. The response focuses on increasing the access to health services of people affected by the war by providing emergency medical care (emergency response teams/standby teams, including first aid training, primary health services (including mobile health units) and health care and referrals for physiotherapy and rehabilitation or mental health care and psychosocial support as needed. Other areas of focus include home care for the elderly and people with disabilities, and nurses’ training/education. The Norwegian Red Cross assists in a variety of ways, including by providing funding, donations of medical equipment and training and strengthening for the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, in particular relating to financial management processes.  

Norway has contributed approximately NOK 420 million in support so far.

Other programme support

As part of the humanitarian aid provided under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, Norway has also allocated funding to UNICEF’s humanitarian efforts (NOK 540 million to date), the United Nations Population Fund’s efforts relating to sexual and reproductive health (NOK 220 million to date) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (approximately NOK 690 million to date). In addition, Norway provides material assistance and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM). The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) is Norway’s CPM contact point. Norway also receives MEDEVAC patients following an assessment of capacity and need.