Philips is in the process of dispatching 25 of its image-guided therapy systems for acute stroke treatment to key regions of Ukraine including Dnipro, Zaporizhzha, and Odesa.
In collaboration with the World Bank and Ukraine’s Ministry of Health (MoH), the initiative is intended to meet Ukraine’s growing demand for stroke treatment and diagnosis, a matter that has been exacerbated by infrastructural damage and population displacement since Russia’s invasion of the nation in February 2022.
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Working with partner AFS Medizintechnik to support the systems’ rollout, so far 19 of the Dutch medtech giant’s interventional Azurion suites have been installed across sites in Ukraine.
Azurion can be used to support minimally invasive stroke treatments and procedures such as thrombectomy, which can potentially reverse the effects of long-term stroke paralysis. According to Philips, the suites integrate software tools and technologies that can streamline care pathways, reduce treatment delays, and improve patient outcomes.
Philips’ chief medical officer, Carla Goulart Peron commented: “Every year, approximately 140,000 Ukrainians experience a stroke, with many facing disability or death due to delayed treatment.
“This collaboration ensures patients in underserved regions gain access to life-saving technologies.”
To maximise the benefits of the stroke network, the initiative also includes physician training. Set to take place in Poland, the initiative’s partners wanted to ensure physicians were up-to-speed with the latest in stroke treatment expertise.
Dr Dmytro Lebedynets, a neurologist at Feofaniya Clinical Hospital and consultant on stroke to the World Bank and Ukraine’s MoH, claimed the programme would “save lives, reduce disability, and changing the futures of stroke patients”.
“With these advanced tools, we can deliver timely and precise life-saving care, even in emergencies. It’s a game-changer for our patients. Now all the regions of our country will be able to provide the full spectrum of care to stroke patients,” said Lebedynets.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. According to the World Stroke Organization, 1 in 4 individuals above the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime.
