A surgeon from Ukraine, usually working at a public trauma hospital, has come to Hamilton to learn more about techniques that could save lives among the victims of Russia’s brutal invasion.
Dr. Mariia Kuzeikiv arrived in Canada in October as part of Hamilton Health Sciences’ ASSIST program, which has brought seven doctors from Ukraine for training to treat severe injuries from war.
The program started in 2022 by Dr. Mark Pahuta, an orthopedic spine surgeon and associate professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.
Pahuta is of Ukrainian heritage and has family and friends in Ukraine, he said.
“I wanted to be able to contribute in some positive way to help the terrible situation that’s occurring there now, and apply my skills and training to help Ukrainians,” said Pahuta.
In February 2022, Russia began a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. According to United Nations human rights office totals released this month, 14,534 civilians — including 745 children — have been killed since the war began. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump and his government have worked towards a plan to end the war, with Canada and other world leaders saying it “needs more work.”
But more Ukrainians are impacted every day. As recently as Nov. 19, at least 26 people were killed and almost 100 were injured in a Russian drone and missile attack that hit apartment buildings in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, according to Ukraine’s interior minister.
“Surgeons are a very important human resource in Ukraine right now, and it strains a hospital to send someone here,” said Pahuta.
“Top of mind is making this a worthwhile and valuable experience so that they learn some transferable skills that they can actually go back to Ukraine and have an impact.”
Kuzeikiv is in Canada for six months until April.
In Ukraine, Kuzeikiv works in a public trauma hospital, where she treats civilians and military officers who were injured in the conflict.
