Lithuanian international partnerships center | CPVA has successfully completed reconstruction and opened a specialized rehabilitation center for wounded civilians and military personnel in Ukraine’s Dnipro region. Juozas Olekas, Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Viktor Liashko, Ukraine’s Minister of Health and Lithuanian MPs Laurynas Kasčiūnas and Ruslanas Baranovas attended the opening ceremony.
Reconstructed over 13 months amid russia’s ongoing attacks, the centre will help patients regain independence and prepare for life beyond hospital.
The new Rehabilitation Center of Spinal Cord Injuries has 34 inpatient beds in 15 accessible double rooms, 4 single rooms. It brings specialised medical rehabilitation, psychological support and practical skills training under one roof.
The €2.5 million reconstruction project was funded by Lithuania and implemented by the Lithuanian International Partnerships Center (LIPC | CPVA). The World Health Organization, with support from the European Commission, provided equipment and furniture for the centre.
“Being myself a medical doctor I know how deeply frustrating is not to be able to heal a patient, especially when you comprehend a diagnosis but are ill-equipped to handle it, and how painful is to lose our best people in resistance. With cooperation programme Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Wounded and War Victims in Ukraine Lithuania is contributing to the task which is essential – rehabilitation and integration into active public life of veterans and civilians, who suffered serious physical injuries and psychological traumas. Alongside with strengthening of rehabilitation facilities, we look for our cooperation on other important areas, as safe education, recovery of essential public services, building shelters, and strengthening institutional resilience,” said Juozas Olekas, Speaker of the Seimas.
Construction began in August 2025 and was completed in September 2026, with work continuing despite wartime security risks and disruptions. The centre was damaged twice by russian attacks during reconstruction.
The new centre covers more than 1,700 square metres and will have 40 staff providing inpatient and outpatient care, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological support, and speech and language therapy.
“We sincerely thank the Lithuanian government and people for helping establish this centre despite Russian attacks. It will help military personnel, veterans and civilians with spinal cord injuries regain independence. Rehabilitation is a national priority: in the first nine months of 2026, almost 171,000 patients received inpatient rehabilitation and around 170,000 received outpatient care. This centre strengthens Ukraine’s rehabilitation network and expands access to specialised care for patients from across the country. Lithuania’s investment in infrastructure and professional training will benefit people for years to come,” said Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine.
During reconstruction special attention was paid to making the centre and its surroundings accessible to people with reduced mobility.
“After a spinal cord injury, being ready to leave hospital involves much more than medical treatment. Patients need support to manage everyday activities and prepare for the changes they will face at home. Our newly reconstructed centre brings together a wheelchair skills zone, wheelchair maintenance and orthotics workshops, and a urodynamics laboratory to address patients’ mobility and bladder care needs as part of rehabilitation. Accessible rooms and spaces for families will also allow those closest to patients to take part in this process,” said the Head of the rehabilitation centre.
The centre will also provide vocational rehabilitation and adaptation services. Through cooperation with a medical university, it will help train young medical professionals while supporting its own staff’s continued development.
The project is part of Lithuania’s €15.167 million Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Wounded and War Victims in Ukraine Programme, implemented by LIPC | CPVA since 2024. The programme also supports rehabilitation infrastructure in Zhytomyr region and at the UNBROKEN centre in Lviv region, combining investment in facilities with specialist training and improvements in service quality, care processes and psychosocial support.
“Our team is proud to have completed this centre under extremely difficult circumstances. But Lithuania’s support goes beyond reconstruction. Doctors and rehabilitation professionals have already completed training under the Lithuanian programme — from spinal cord injury rehabilitation and psychological support to specialised training from world-leading experts in Mulligan and Maitland approaches. This comprehensive approach will help turn the reconstructed facilities into better care for Ukrainian defenders and others affected by russia’s war against Ukraine and, through knowledge exchange and professional development, strengthen rehabilitation expertise across the country,” said Artūras Žarnovskis, Ukraine Recovery and Peace Programmes Coordinator LIPC | CPVA.
