Prostheses and rehabilitation services
Amputations, i.e. the removal of arms or legs due to severe injuries, have a variety of causes. In addition to accidents, diabetes and cancer, the number of amputations in military conflicts and wars is increasing rapidly as a result of serious injuries, mines and inadequate medical care.
Malteser International has been supporting a hospital in Lviv since summer 2022. It offers amputation patients comprehensive treatment, including physiotherapy and psychotherapy. The aim is to give them an optimal new start with prostheses. In order to meet the increased demand for prostheses, Malteser International has delivered a workshop container from Germany to expand production capacity. In addition, we have trained two orthopaedic technicians in Germany, purchased further prostheses and machines and equipped a patient care room. So far, we have supplied 220 people from various Ukrainian regions with a total of 244 prostheses (as of March 2024).
In Ukraine, around 30,000 amputations had to be carried out every year until 2022. Since then, the number of amputations per year has roughly tripled. The main reason for this massive increase is the war and associated injuries. At the same time, the number of people with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes is also increasing significantly. Until 2022, the Ukrainian healthcare system was well-equipped to meet the requirements, but today the demand far exceeds the existing capacities of the clinics in the country. To make matters worse, many patients are traumatized and in some cases have lost several limbs.
The aim of Malteser International's project is to give amputation patients in Lviv the best possible start in life by providing comprehensive treatment and prostheses.
- Further training for two orthopaedic technology specialists in Germany
- Provision and installation of orthopaedic devices for a prosthetics workshop at Lviv Hospital
- Treatment of 220 amputation patients
- Provision of 244 prostheses based on the individual needs of the patients
Project data
Partner: Malteser Ukraine, Unbroken, Ottobock
Project region: Lviv region, Ukraine
Donors: Federal Foreign Office, Aktion Deutschland Hilft, Hinrich-Rave Foundation
