Fifteen doctors from different medical institutions in Ukraine are undergoing internships at four leading French oncology centers. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Unicancer network of oncology hospitals, including the Gustave Roussy Institute, the Curie Institute, the Paris Hospital Group (APHP), and the Marseille Hospital Group (APHM).
The cooperation is funded by the Crisis Response and Support Center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France within the framework of the APPUI project.
Among the Ukrainian medical professionals are radiation therapists, oncological surgeons, mammologists, chemotherapists, and oncologists from medical institutions in Cherkasy, Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kropyvnytskyi.
The training and internships of Ukrainian doctors are part of the French-Ukrainian cooperation program in oncology. Under this program, from September 2024 to August 2025, 45 Ukrainian doctors will undergo internships in medical institutions in France.
"Last year, the government approved the National Cancer Control Strategy for 2030. It aims to reduce the incidence and mortality from cancer. To achieve this, we are working to improve the quality of medical care. Today, within the framework of cooperation between Ukraine and France, our doctors are undergoing internships and enhancing their professional skills at the best oncology centers in France. We also have a ratified agreement between our countries that provides for the equipping of Ukrainian medical institutions with modern mammography equipment. This is a step toward improving early diagnosis. We are grateful to France for its support and active cooperation," said Ukraine's Minister of Health Viktor Liashko.
The doctors' internship program as part of the French-Ukrainian cooperation consists of three stages:
- First stage, from October 7-18, 2024: radiation therapy, hematology, oncology of the digestive system, and bone marrow transplantation. During the visit, doctors exchanged experiences on treating oncological diseases and learned about the latest scientific and technological achievements.
- Second stage, from March 3-15, 2025: surgery, medical oncology, radiation therapy and radiology, and oncological hematology.
- Third stage, June 2025: male and female cancers, neuro-oncology, and more.
In addition to the internships, doctors will have the opportunity to participate in thematic webinars on multidisciplinary consultations and medical procurement.
Bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and France has been ongoing since the beginning of the full-scale war. This includes a breast cancer project aimed at equipping health facilities with modern medical equipment for breast cancer diagnosis – mammography machines – as well as implementing advanced treatment technologies for women.
Other key areas of cooperation include a project on deploying mobile hospitals to ensure access to quality medical services in regions most affected by the war.
There are also projects aimed at restoring critical medical infrastructure and healthcare service systems, as well as cooperation within the framework of the Expertise France initiative. This includes the exchange of experience and training of medical personnel, the creation of exchange programs between hospitals in both countries, and more.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine expresses its gratitude to its French partners for their invaluable contribution to Ukraine's fight for life and the future. Ukraine remains ready and interested in initiatives that will deepen cooperation between the two countries.
