3 questions to ZDOROVI – ReAct’s new partner in Ukraine

2025-11-26

Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian humanitarian aid agency ZDOROVI has stood alongside Ukraine’s healthcare workers, helping hospitals across the country. Nataliia Tulinova, founder and CEO of ZDOROVI, has guided the organization through one of the most challenging periods in modern healthcare. In this interview, she shares her perspective why antimicrobial reistance and infection prevention and control are critical priorities. ReAct and ZDOROVI is joining forces with other European partners to strengthen infection control and prevention capacities in Ukrainian hospitals.

ReAct and ZDOROVI is joining forces with other European partners to strengthen infection control and prevention capacities in Ukrainian hospitals. By investing in training healthcare workers, particularly nurses, sharing up-to-date knowledge and experience that helps to foster a culture of rational antibiotic use and therefore strengthen barriers against infections. This collaboration is focused on engaging and training healthcare workers and in particularly nurses.

Why are antimicrobial resistance and infection control and prevention priority areas in Ukraine right now?

– Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat that jeopardizes the effectiveness of modern medicine. This problem is particularly relevant for Ukraine due to the war: the number of injuries, surgical interventions, and prolonged hospitalizations is increasing, which raises the risk of infections and uncontrolled use of antibiotics. That is why combating AMR and strengthening the infection prevention and control (IPC) system are critical to saving patients’ lives and ensuring the sustainability of the healthcare system.

What role do you think nurses can play in strengthening infection control practices in hospitals and clinics in Ukraine?

– Nurses are a key link in the infection control and prevention system, as they are the first to encounter the risks of infection in their daily work. The safety of patients and staff, the effectiveness of treatment, and the reduction of hospital-acquired infections depend on their knowledge, skills and adherence to protocols.

– ZDOROVI, together with ReAct and Swedish institutions, considers the launch of a course for nurses to be extremely important. The program will strengthen their competence in the field of infection prevention and control, help implement international standards for infection prevention, and promote the creation of a culture of safe medicine in Ukrainian institutions.

Please tell us more about the course. When is it scheduled to launch, and what results do you hope to achieve?

– We aim to create a course that will serve as a practical guide for nurses and medical teams in infection prevention and control and antimicrobial resistance. It is currently in the conceptual stage: we have identified the key topics, approaches, and format that will be most useful for the professional development of nurses in Ukraine. Its launch is planned for the first half of 2026, and we will implement the project in collaboration with ReAct and leading Swedish experts who have practical expertise in this field. Such cooperation allows us to adapt modern European approaches to the needs of the Ukrainian healthcare system.

– We expect that the course will help nurses develop a comprehensive understanding of the basics of infection prevention and control, raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance in Ukraine, and provide an opportunity to learn about best practices already implemented in European countries. In addition, participants will gain a deeper understanding of their role in systemic change and receive practical tools to improve patient safety and the effectiveness of medical team’s daily work.

Over the three years of the full-scale invasion, ZDOROVI has directed over 1 billion UAH in humanitarian aid and procurement to support medical institutions, cooperating with over 70 international partners (WHO, USAID, GIZ, Americares, Global Giving, etc.), and remaining a leading Ukrainian organization that systematically strengthens the healthcare sector even in times of war.

ZDOROVI has provided hospitals across the country with scarce medicines, equipment, and technology, covering more than 950 facilities in 24 regions, and implements educational programs, research, and mental health projects.