The mutual benefits of HEAL Berdychiv: What Estonian and Ukrainian healthcare professionals can learn from each other

The ongoing war in Ukraine has placed enormous pressure on the country's healthcare system, damaging hospital infrastructure and significantly increasing the workload of medical staff. HEAL Berdychiv, an international programme implemented with the support of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), Ireland and Liechtenstein, will establish a new intensive care unit at Berdychiv Hospital and provide training for 120 Ukrainian healthcare professionals. 

The original article was published on 30 July 2026 in Äripäev's Meditsiiniuudised (Medical News). 

During the first years of the war, international medical assistance to Ukraine primarily consisted of medicine, equipment and emergency aid. Today, international cooperation has shifted towards strengthening the healthcare system through rebuilding infrastructure, improving hospital management, introducing modern treatment practices and training healthcare professionals. 

One example of this cooperation is the international HEAL Berdychiv programme, implemented by the Estonian Medical Export Cluster (Medicine Estonia) together with Estonian hospitals. The project is being funded by ESTDEV, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein. 

Estonian experience applied to Ukraine's unique needs 

According to Epp-Triin Võsu, ESTDEV’s Healthcare advisor, Estonia has not provided Ukraine with ready-made solutions. 

“We designed the programme together with the management, department heads and specialists of Berdychiv City Hospital to focus on the areas where support was needed most,” Võsu said. 

Based on a comprehensive needs assessment, a two-year training programme was developed to address the hospital's practical requirements. Medical specialists from East Tallinn Central Hospital, North Estonia Medical Centre, Ida-Viru Central Hospital and Narva Hospital joined the programme, sharing their expertise and mentoring their Ukrainian colleagues. 

“From the outset, we decided that training would take place both in Estonia and in Ukraine. In Estonia, participants gained new knowledge, experience and ideas from our best practices. At the same time, it was essential to ensure that these new skills would be applied in everyday clinical work. That's why Estonian specialists also worked alongside teams in Berdychiv Hospital, supporting the implementation of new practices and the development of patient care pathways,” Võsu said. 

Launched in 2025, the programme brought Ukrainian healthcare professionals to Estonian hospitals, where they trained in intensive care, rehabilitation and patient safety. At the same time, Estonian experts delivered multidisciplinary training sessions in Berdychiv. In 2026, the programme shifted its focus to practical, workplace-based learning and mentorship, helping integrate new knowledge and working methods into the hospital's daily operations. 

“The opportunity to observe everyday hospital work, ask questions and discuss real clinical cases with Estonian specialists has been identified by participants as one of the programme's greatest strengths,” said Inge Suder, an Estonian Medical Export Cluster board member. 

“Practical learning allows participants to see how knowledge is translated into better patient care. Successful rehabilitation does not depend on a single specialist, but on the coordinated work of a multidisciplinary team. Rehabilitation physicians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychologists and many other specialists all play an essential role in helping patients achieve the best possible recovery. This is exactly the kind of teamwork and shared professional approach we aim to develop together with our Ukrainian colleagues,” said Dr Kaupo Ole, head of the Rehabilitation Clinic at East Tallinn Central Hospital. 

The programme also has a strong emphasis on mental health. 

“The war affects patients, their families, and healthcare professionals alike, who face immense pressure and difficult situations every day. Therefore, our training addresses trauma-informed care, psychological first aid, staff resilience and the mental well-being of healthcare teams. Mental health is not treated as a separate topic but as an integral part of the entire patient journey,” Suder said. 

New ICU facilities to support lasting change 

In addition to the training programme, ESTDEV secured €1.1 million in additional funding from the Irish and Liechtenstein Ministries of Foreign Affairs to renovate the intensive care unit at Berdychiv Hospital and create a modern treatment environment that meets current standards. Construction is scheduled to be completed in December 2026. 

ESTDEV’s executive director, Andrea Kivi, thanked the international partners whose support made the ICU renovation possible. 

“Strengthening Ukraine's healthcare system over the long term requires investment across the entire system - in healthcare professionals' knowledge, skills, and professional development, as well as in hospital infrastructure and modern medical equipment,” Kivi said. “The HEAL Berdychiv programme demonstrates how investment in people can be successfully combined with investment in healthcare infrastructure. This strengthens the hospital's ability to provide high-quality care while creating sustainable solutions that will improve residents' access to healthcare services well into the future.” 

The project's total budget amounts to €2.3 million, including €1.2 million contributed by Estonia and €1.1 million provided by international partners. 

Learning is not a one-way street 

Throughout the war, Ukrainian hospitals have been forced to be flexible, and to operate quickly and with limited resources. They have decentralised services, created backup capacity and organised operations so that the loss of a single building or region does not disrupt the entire healthcare system. These experiences offer valuable lessons for Estonia as well. 

The HEAL Berdychiv programme demonstrates that successful international cooperation is not about one-sidedly transferring ready-made solutions. Estonian hospitals share their expertise and experience while simultaneously learning from Ukrainian colleagues about crisis preparedness, adaptability and innovation under pressure. The impact of this partnership will extend far beyond the final training course.