Ukrainian Healthcare Professionals Exchange with Sahlgrenska University Hospital

During autumn 2025, Sahlgrenska University Hospital formalized its support to Ukraine through a two‑year project that includes, among other things, exchange of experiences and shadowing opportunities for Ukrainian healthcare staff.

As part of the project, three military doctors have visited the hospital for shadowing, so‑called auscultation, over a couple of weeks. One of them is Oleksandr Bielieha, who is at the Orthopedic Department at Mölndal Hospital. He is an orthopedic surgeon in civilian life and now works as a military doctor close to the front, providing temporary stabilization, circulatory support, and further transport of injured soldiers. He has come to Sahlgrenska University Hospital to learn more about laparoscopic surgery and prosthetic surgery, as well as how patients in Sweden are cared for after the acute treatment has ended.

"Trauma surgery is something we have become quite good at in Ukraine," he says.
Elbow arthroscopy, hand surgery, osseointegration, and various types of prostheses are examples of areas in which Oleksandr Bielieha is deepening his knowledge during his stay.

What are your impressions of Gothenburg and the hospital so far?

"I am surprised by the large spaces available to the surgical operations here. In just Operating Unit 1 at Mölndal Hospital, you could fit four Ukrainian operating rooms. You have more resources and greater access to materials. But things have improved in Ukraine as well, as we have gained access to medical instruments from other countries."

One of the Swedish doctors that Oleksandr Bielieha has shadowed is Vladislavs Gordins, head of the ankle and foot section within the Orthopedics Department at Mölndal Hospital.

"It has been very valuable to have the opportunity to meet colleagues from Ukraine and start building relationships that may lead to future collaborations. The exchange has offered new perspectives and created a foundation for continued mutual learning. It also feels good that we have been able to give Oleksandr a break from the everyday reality of war and a glimpse of a more normal and peaceful working life — something we all hope will soon become reality for him and for Ukraine," says Vladislavs Gordins.

In addition, the HTA Department at the Ukrainian Ministry of Health has visited. HTA stands for Health Technology Assessment and involves evaluating methods and technologies in healthcare.

"This week has given us so much; it has been like a training course or internship for us," says Oresta Piniazhko, Director of the HTA Department at the Ukrainian Ministry of Health.

Oresta Piniazhko and her colleagues learned more about evidence‑based care, health economics, statistics, research misconduct, and conflicts of interest. They were hosted by the HTA Centre at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, the largest regional HTA unit in Sweden. The centre is organized under the hospital’s special assignments but works regionally.

During the week, the Ukrainian visitors also had a review of how Gothia Forum works with clinical studies — an area they specifically requested to learn more about — and visited the University of Gothenburg.

"It has been a well‑structured week with good facilities at a large hospital and a well‑known university. We have learned a lot about how HTA is used internationally, within EU legislation, and how you in Sweden use it on a national and regional level. In Ukraine, we have the same methods, but the work is organized differently," says Oresta Piniazhko.

Ylva Carlsson, Head of the HTA Centre at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, is also pleased with the exchange with the Ukrainian colleagues.
"It has been interesting to hear how they maintain their work during the ongoing war. It has also been rewarding to be active on an international stage," she says.

It is Sahlgrenska International Care that coordinates the project for the hospital.
"It is good that our collaboration has now truly begun, and the level of engagement has been very high. During the spring and summer, we will receive additional Ukrainian healthcare staff for clinical rotations and deepen the exchange of experience with our Ukrainian partners, including the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and various hospitals in Ukraine," says Anders Lygdman, strategist at Sahlgrenska International Care.

FACTS: Formalized support to Ukraine through a two‑year project

Sahlgrenska University Hospital has formalized its support to Ukraine through a two‑year project that includes, among other things, exchange of experiences and shadowing for Ukrainian healthcare staff.

The project is part of a national program supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine, backed by the National Board of Health and Welfare and Sida – the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Sahlgrenska University Hospital has applied for and received funding for its project, which runs until 31 December 2027. The efforts target two hospitals in the Kharkiv region in the northeast of the country, and the support is offered in the form of:

• Experience exchange
• Auscultation (shadowing)
• HTA training (analysis of evidence‑based care)

Up to twelve healthcare professionals from Ukraine will be hosted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital during the project period. In addition, workshops and/or study visits are planned in Gothenburg to provide more Ukrainian staff with opportunities for continuing education and exchange of experiences.