Ukraine Without Pain: A National Transformation Initiative Spotlighted at the HEAL Ukraine Conference at Harvard

As a crucial part of its strategic commitment, the "Ukraine Without Pain" project team participated in the major UA-MED Heal Ukraine Conference, held at Harvard University on November 7–8. The event brought together over 250 doctors, researchers, and healthcare professionals from around the globe, all focused on strengthening Ukraine’s medical resilience.

The flagship Nova Ukraine medical project, "Ukraine Without Pain" was a central focus of one of the panel discussions. Launched in 2024, this initiative aims to establish Ukraine’s first nationwide system for pain management and rehabilitation, directly addressing the critical challenge of chronic pain among defenders and civilians affected by wartime trauma.

Oksana Gologorska, Nova Ukraine Vice President for Medical Projects, clearly articulated the strategic scope:

"Ukraine Without Pain is more than a medical project; it is a national transformation effort. We are creating a sustainable pain management system where none existed before, while fostering international collaboration with partners like Yale, Harvard, Northwestern, and DU4U. Together, we are building a brighter future not just for Ukraine, but for conflict zones worldwide."

Oleksandr Shemetun, co-lead of the "Ukraine Without Pain" project, presented the tangible, early outcomes achieved within the strategic initiative:

"Since October 2024, we have supported crucial on-site training for 11 pain medicine teams from 11 hospitals. Additionally, we equipped many clinics with essential tools and devices, including cryo- and radiofrequency ablation systems, ultrasound units for navigation, and X-ray systems."

Leading Ukrainian specialists also shared their groundbreaking work in developing nationwide pain services. These included Dr. Andrii Strokan (Head of the Pain Management Department at Feofania Hospital) and Dr. Dmytro Dmytriiev (Center for Pain Medicine, Bogomolets National Medical University), who discussed integrating artificial intelligence for diagnosis and innovative treatment of phantom limb pain.

The project’s presence at Harvard underscored the vital role of global collaboration in driving systemic change and ensuring the successful implementation of the "Ukraine Without Pain" strategic initiative.