Task Force 4 Ukraine

Ensuring continued access to stroke care in Ukraine during the conflict.

In the month of March, ESO leaders learned that patients with acute stroke in countries affected by the Ukraine conflict needed assistance. Though acute stroke care was still running where hospitals were open, the supply of many medications and equipment for thrombolysis, vascular-neurosurgery, and endovascular treatment was becoming scarce, and the reduced availability of secondary prevention medications such as DOACs and Insulin was evident.

A Task Force was formed to address the needs of the stroke community through information channels and support groups.

Click here to read ESO’s statement on the war in Ukraine.

ESO Initiatives for TF4UKR

ESO is dedicated to supporting the Ukrainian stroke community and together with the Task Force has put in place the following:

Establishment of a dedicated Task Force and email address for direct support requests
Creation of Telegram groups for direct communication among members of Ukrainian stroke organisations
Coordination with WHO for joint support
Free ESO membership for Ukrainian colleagues
Free access to virtual ESOC 2022 for Ukrainian colleagues connecting from Ukraine
Circulation of surveys to assess and address urgent medical needs
Webinar series for Ukrainian colleagues addressing the specific needs of Ukrainian doctors with simultaneous Ukrainian translation

DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT – TF4UKR EDITION

This year, the ESO Task Force for Ukraine has developed a special edition of the Department to Department programme for Ukrainian physicians.

The ESO Ukraine Department to Department Visit Programme is a grant of €1,500 offered to up to 10 Ukrainian physicians and researchers to support a short visit of 1-2 weeks, or as a contribution to a longer visit to a European Stroke Unit.

The programme provides support to young Ukrainian physicians and researchers for visiting stroke departments outside of Ukraine. These experiences can play an important role in their careers by establishing contact with people and departments who may provide future research and job opportunities.

Primary aim is to improve stroke care in Ukraine by increasing knowledge in the stroke treatment chain. The observer will acquire knowledge on stroke care ranging from prehospital to rehabilitation, including the importance of building multidisciplinary teams. Secondary aim is to promote “stroke mentors” from the hosting institution.

Awardees are expected to send a report after completion of their visit to be posted on the ESO blog and newsletter, and to acknowledge ESO in scientific work that results from the stay.

The application period is now open for 2023 visits.
Deadline: 2 December 2022

Who should apply?

Ukrainian physicians or researchers with an interest in the field of stroke.
Applicants must be ESO members, however, ESO membership is free for Ukrainian colleagues. The application is available here.

How to apply?

Interested applicants are requested to complete and submit the following documents all together:

ESO D2D Application Form – TF4UKR Edition
Invitation letter from Head of the Department/Institution where you want to visit (Host Institution)
Letter of recommendation from the supervisor or head of your department
Personal letter of motivation (1/2 page)
CV in English (1-2 pages)
Copy of national identity card/passport

If you require assistance to establish contact with an institution, please contact Prof. Else Charlotte Sandset by email at else@sandset.net.

Applications must be submitted to the ESO Secretariat by email to esoinfo@eso-stroke.org by 2 December 2022.

For any questions, please write to esoinfo@eso-stroke.org

Task Force

Francesca Romana Pezzella (Chair)
Yuriy Flomin (Co-Chair)
Valeria Caso
Hanne Christensen
Robert Mikulik
Else Sandset
Dmytro Lebedynets
Marina Gulyayeva

Observers

Pavlo Lebedynets
Mykhailo Tonchev
Dmitriy Gulyayev

Education Seminars

A series of Education Seminars for Ukrainian physicians was created to support colleagues. Simultaneous translation in Ukranian is provided by the Angels Initiative.

Date

Time

Topic

Speaker

Moderator

Ukrainian
Co-moderator

08.09.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Basic and advanced work-up for stroke

Patrik Michel

Switzerland

Valeria Caso

Italy

Yuriy Flomin

Kyiv

22.09.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Blood pressure management and monitoring

Linxin Li

TBD

Volodymyr Melnyk

Kyiv, Ukraine

06.10.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Cardioembolic strokes: Beyond atrial fibrillation

Hooman Kamel

USA

Michael Mazya

Sweden

Olga Dubenko

Kharkiv

20.10.2022

18.00 -19.00

Surgical management of intracerebral haemorrhage?

Thorsten Steiner

Germany

Hanne Christensen

Denmark

Mykhaylo Tonchev

Poltava

27.10.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Vertigo in the Emergency Department – when is it a stroke?

Gian Marco de Marchis

Switzerland

Diana Aguiar de Sousa

Portugal

Olga Biletska

Lutsk

03.11.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Blood pressure management in acute stroke

Else Charlotte Sandset

Norway

TBD

Marina Trishchynska

Kyiv

17.11.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Ethical considerations in treatment restrictions

Bart van der Worp

the Netherlands

Valeria Caso

Italy

Dmytro Lebedynets

Kyiv

01.12.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Stroke in the young

Jukka Putaala

Finland

Francesca Romana Pezzella

Italy

Yuriy Cherednychenko

Dnipro

15.12.2022

18.00 – 19.00

Minor Stroke

Amy Yu
Canada

Else Charlotte Sandset

Norway

Larysa Sokolova

Kyiv

Contact

Please contact the Task Force at the address below if you have a request or can provide assistance.

ukrainesupport@eso-stroke.org