Medical delegation from Ukraine travels to Philadelphia to solidify partnership
by Christine Shust-Fylypovych
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly
PHILADELPHIA - The leadership delegation of Kyyiv medical specialists participating in the Philadelphia-Kyyiv medical partnership program completed its first visit to Philadelphia during the first few weeks of December 1992.
As an initial step towards upgrading maternal and child health care in the capital of Ukraine, the visiting delegation of doctors, nurses and administrators followed a tight schedule of seminars and clinical observations.
Members of the delegation attended lectures on policy development and the organization and financing of health care at the Leonard Davis Institute of the University of Pennsylvania. At the Wharton school, also at the University of Pennsylvania, they learned about principles of health management.
The visitors toured the gynecological, obstetrical, neonatology and pediatric facilities at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Hospital. The guests also visited the HMO insurance company, U.S. Healthcare.
The Kyyiv delegation also went on a two-day excursion to Washington, where the specialists met with officials of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the American International Health Alliance, and toured the National Institutes of Health.
The Philadelphia area's Ukrainian American community was instrumental in providing daily translation services as well as hosting some evening and weekend diversions for the guests. The Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center organized and coordinated the efforts of dozens of local volunteer translators and guides. Several local Ukrainian American organizations also hosted the visiting delegation.
Dr. George Peckham, project coordinator for the Philadelphia-Kyyiv partnership and assistant dean for international programs at the University of Pennsylvania, said he felt the partnership between the two cities has already succeeded "in many different dimensions," since "the people of Kyyiv and the people of Philadelphia immediately connected."
Dr. Andrew Tershakovec, a Children's Hospital pediatrician and community liaison for the program, added that this was a very successful first step of the program and that the Ukrainian American community of Philadelphia has been very supportive and quite helpful in terms of this initial success.
Dr. Valentine Yatsenko, vice-dean for research and international programs for the Ukrainian State Medical University and head of the nine-member Kyyiv delegation, stated that the Philadelphia visit was very interesting and that the local community's involvement was most moving.
The Philadelphia-Kyyiv partnership is one of 11 health care partnerships between U.S. hospitals and medical facilities in the newly independent states. These partnerships are funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and managed by the American International Health Alliance (AIHA).
The Philadelphia-Kyyiv partnership includes the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center (The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania), Pennsylvania Hospital and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on one side, and the Ukrainian State Medical University, Kyyiv Children's Hospital No. 2 and the Kyyiv Obstetrical and Gynecological Hospital No. 3 on the other.
Over the next several years, Philadelphia will host several medical delegations for more extended periods of time. The next group of specialists from the Ukrainian capital is due to arrive in Philadelphia early this year.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 17, 1993, No. 3, Vol. LXI
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