Ukraine's health minister participates in UMANA scientific conference

by George Hrycelak

EDMONTON - The Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) held its 38th Biennial Scientific Conference and 31st Assembly of Delegates on June 29-July 3, in Edmonton. Participants included nearly 100 health care professionals from the U.S.A., Canada and Ukraine. The guest of honor and keynote speaker was Dr. Mykola Polishchuk, minister of health of Ukraine.

The four-day event included two days of scientific presentations and one day devoted to the biennial business meeting with elections of new officers. Interspersed were a host of enjoyable social gatherings between participants from three countries and the greater Edmonton Ukrainian community.

The conference venue was the Chateau Louis Hotel and Conference Center in central Edmonton. Hosts Barbara and Julian Koziak went to great lengths to ease their local and out-of-town guests' stay at their hotel. Daria Luciw of the DL Group Inc. skillfully coordinated the registration, exhibits and programming details.

The convention opened on Wednesday evening, June 29, with a welcoming reception for participants and their families. Anne McLellan, deputy prime minister of Canada; Ralph Klein, premier of Alberta; and Stephen Mandel, mayor of Edmonton, sent greetings.

A pleasant surprise that evening included the presentation of several dances by the Volia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and a vocal performance by the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton. The reception concluded quite late in the evening, since during the summer the sun sets at this latitude at 10:15 p.m.

The mornings of Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1, were dedicated to scientific presentations and discussion by a host of health care professionals from the U.S., Canada and Ukraine. The speakers were introduced by UMANA President-Elect Andrew Iwach and UMANA Edmonton Branch President Wayne Tymchak.

The speakers and their topics were:

• Dr. Christine Genyk-Berezowsky Sapka, (UMANA member, New York Metro) "Evoked Potentials in Multiple Sclerosis."
  
  
• Dr. Oleg Nadashkevich (Lviv), "Classification Criteria for System Sclerosis-Scleroderma," a collaborative study between Lviv Medical University and the Universities of Alberta and Calgary;
  
  
• Dr. Steven Archer (chairman of the Section of Cardiology, University of Alberta), "Erectile Dysfunction: From Bench to Bedside to Garden";
  
  
• Dr. William Selezinka (UMANA member, Southern California) "Ukrainian American Ophthalmologist in Ukraine";
  
  
• Dr. Wayne Tymchak (UMANA Edmonton Branch president) "Is Ukraine Ready for the Atkin's Diet?";
  
  
• Dr. Wladimir Wertelecki, (UMANA member, Florida) "Birth Defects Surveillance and Prevention in Ukraine," International Charitable Fund Omni-Net for Children;
  
  
• Dr. Tetyana Vihovska (Ukraine), "Impact of Resource Centers on Birth Defect Programs in Ukraine";
  
  
• Nurse Practitioner Christine Evanochko (Edmonton), "A Nurse Practitioner's Experience in Neonatal Training Programs in Ukraine";
  
  
• Dr. Walter Maksymowych (Edmonton), "Ethical and Policy Issues in International research: Developing a National Framework for Clinical Trials."

As part of the cultural program for participants, a watercolor painting workshop was conducted by well-known Canadian artist Larisa Sembaliuk-Cheladyn. Several guests left the workshop with a memento of their hidden artistic talents. Thursday's group luncheon heard a medley of songs performed by the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Parish Youth Choir, directed by Joyce Chrunik-Rudiak.

Thursday afternoon was spent on various tours of area churches and museums, as well as the Cheemo pyrohy factory, where 2 million of the delicious dumplings roll off the assembly line each day. The evening was dedicated to a Ukrainian "Yarmarok" (bazaar), with most of the conference participants dressing in national attire, viewing various examples of fine locally produced arts and crafts in the Ukrainian theme. Musical entertainment was provided by the Kubasonics playing on a variety of classical Ukrainian folk instruments.

Friday morning scientific sessions included the following:

• Dr. Roman Worobec (UMANA editor-in-chief), "Ukraine and the Medical Information Gap";
  
  
• Dr. Luba Komar (Toronto), "Youth for Health Canada-Ukraine Project 1998-2006";
  
  
• Dr. Victor Denysenko (Edmonton), "Transition from Immigration to Practice";
  
  
• Yuri Konkin (Edmonton), "Jetstream staffing project and recruitment of nurses from Ukraine";
  
  
• Dr. Ehor Gauk (Edmonton), "Medical Project OSVITA";
  
  
• Veronica Izaak (Edmonton), "Translation of Nurse Credentialling Modules into Ukrainian";
  
  
• Dr. Andrew Iwach (UMANA member, Northern California), "Complexities of Cataracts and Glaucoma in Ukrainians";
  
  
• Dr. Roman Petryshyn (Edmonton), "Development of Programs to Aid Disabled Children in Ukraine";
  
  
• Dr. Volodymyr Kharytonov (Kyiv) "Pediatric Neurology in Ukraine, and the Role that Canada and Project OSVITA played in this development";
  
  
• Dr. Mykola Polishchuk (minister of health of Ukraine), "Current State and Prospects for Health Care Restructuring in Ukraine."

Friday afternoon and evening were devoted to sampling Edmonton area examples of Ukrainian culture. Two busloads of conference attendees toured the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village outside of Edmonton, as well as the Basilian Father's Museum in Mundare.

A visit to Alberta would not be complete without seeing the world's largest pysanka in Vegreville. The evening concluded on a musical note with a memorable concert at the Vegreville Grandstand during the renowned annual Pysanka Festival. With the scientific portion of the conference concluded, the conference participants retired for a well-deserved rest prior to the next day's biennial meeting.

On Saturday, the 31st Assembly of Delegates was called to order at 8 a.m. by the outgoing president, Dr. Iwanetz. Routine business occupied the majority of the morning, with a bright spot evident in the 70 new members confirmed to full status since the previous assembly in 2003.

The highlight of the business meeting was the election of the new administration for the term of 2005-2007: Andrew Iwach, M.D. (Northern California), president; Wayne Tymchak, M.D. (Edmonton), vice-president; Ariadna Holynskyj (New York Metro), president-elect; Boris Leheta, M.D. (Michigan), secretary; Diana Traska, O.D. (New York Metro), treasurer; Alexandra Kushnir, M.D. (New York Metro), membership.

Also elected were: Robert Dzioba, M.D., Tymish Trusewych, D.O. and Adrian Kesala, M.D., Ethics Comittee; Maria Hrycelak, M.D., archivist; Roxolana Horbowyj, M.D., WFUMA liaison; Adrian Baranetsky, M.D. UMANA News editor-in-chief; Roman Worobec, Ph.D., UMANA editor-in-chief; Andrew Melnyk, M.D., Scientific Committee; Maria Hrycelak, M.D., Jerome Maryniuk, M.D. and Ihor Voyevidka, M.D., UMANA Foundation.

Minister Polishchuk then addressed the gathering of UMANA delegates. The health minister focused on how UMANA and similar organizations in the diaspora could best be of assistance to Ukraine in this time of its medical professional evolution.

Dr. Polishchuk said he feels that aid and support given by the diaspora to date have left a positive impression. He suggested that Ukraine needs access to management data and training information, which it will then use to train physicians. The medical establishment needs reorganization, with emphasis on general practice and family medicine.

The minister admitted that the medical community needs to learn more about fund-raising and philanthropy, and how to obtain needed financing and grants for upcoming projects. He foresees cooperation and coordination between various medical associations in Ukraine, and the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations (WFUMA), headquartered in Kyiv. He closed by requesting that we in the West consider sending experts to Ukraine to teach them how to teach their health care professionals about implementing issues of medical policy.

On Saturday evening a gala banquet gathered representatives of the Edmonton Ukrainian community and UMANA members in an extraordinary tribute to this collaborative effort of international professionalism of three countries. Present in the audience was Ed Stelmach, minister of international and intergovernmental relations in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Dr. Iwach welcomed the guests and dignitaries. Dr. Maria Hrycelak presented an archival summary of the past two-year term of "Hetman" Iwanetz, and introduced the upcoming term of "Prince" Iwach.

Recognition awards for meritorious service were given to Dr. Lesia Kushnir of Metropolitan New York, Dr. Wasyl Salak of Pennsylvania, and the outgoing president, Dr. Iwanetz. Special recognition for outstanding service for 50 years of membership and 35 years of editing the Likarskyj Visnyk was given to Dr. Paul Dzul of Michigan.

Concluding the night's formalities, the guest of honor, Minister Polishchuk, delivered a heartfelt speech thanking the organized medical professionals beyond the borders of Ukraine for keeping their country of origin high on their list of priorities, and maintaining helpful and educational relations with their respective counterparts.

Dr. Polishchuk awarded a plaque to Dr. Ehor Gauk of OSVITA, formally recognizing the effort expended by that group over the last decade in philanthropic and charitable assistance to Ukraine.

Entertainment for the evening included violin virtuoso Vasyl Popadiuk, dance performances by the Cheremosh dance ensemble, and the upbeat entertaining music of Millenia.

The conference ended with a real sense of interaction among the three involved countries. There was a palpable feeling of building teamwork across the Ukrainian communities in the U.S., Canada and Ukraine.

More information about UMANA can be found at www.umana.org.

George Hrycelak, M.D., is executive director of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 31, 2005, No. 31, Vol. LXXIII

| Home Page |