For three years (2024-2027), Ternopil National Medical University will implement the “Lifestrand” grant project within the framework of the EU Erasmus+ KA2 Program “Capacity Building in Higher Education”.
Except TNMU, the consortium included nine more partners from Georgia, Spain, Portugal and Ukraine. In particular, the project will be implemented by the University of Santiago de Compostela (University Santiago de Compostela, Spain), Semergen Foundation (SEMERGEN – Partner institution of Santiago de Compostela, Spain), Poltava State Medical University, the University of Porto (University Porto, Portugal), Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Georgia, Alte University, Georgia, Luhansk State Medical University, Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia, Grigol Robakidze University, Georgia.
The main goal of the project is to train the civilian population in the first aid techniques in areas with an increased risk to life, so that people can provide first aid to themselves, their family, friends, and neighbours if necessary. Its implementation will begin in 2024. In general, it is planned to train more than 22,000 representatives of communities from the above-mentioned territories in Ukraine and Georgia. To achieve this goal, a coaching team consisting of three teachers and thirty-six senior students will be formed and trained in each university of Ukraine and Georgia, which are participants in the project. The members of the teams will be trained in European partner universities.
The need for the project lies in the fact that the long war in Ukraine and the experience of Russia’s previous military aggression against Georgia have demonstrated the danger to the lives of people living in the occupied territories, in zones of direct military aggression or in regions adjacent to zones of armed conflicts. Such citizens have significantly increased risks for survival and health, there is limited access to the provision of medical services, so having the skills to provide first aid will help them save their lives and the lives of others.