TİKA Enhances Health Infrastructure at Children’s Camp in Ukraine

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has upgraded the health infrastructure of the ARTEK International Children’s Center in Ukraine.

Founded in 1925 on the Crimean Peninsula, ARTEK International Children’s Center continued its activities in Kyiv after the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and is recognized as one of the world’s leading children’s camp centers.

As part of the project, new dental, eye, and ear-nose-throat examination rooms, as well as a laboratory, were established to help diagnose digestive, nutritional, neurological, circulatory, oral, and hormonal health issues among children. Most of these children come from rural areas with limited access to healthcare services.

With the modern medical equipment supplied by TİKA, the center’s technical capacity has been improved, enabling it to deliver more comprehensive and higher-quality healthcare services to its young participants.

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the health unit was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Kyiv, Mustafa Levent Bilgen; Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Health, Yevgeniy Gonchar; officials from Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Social Policy; TİKA’s Coordinator in Ukraine, Yahya Kemal Tunca; ARTEK General Manager, Serhii Kapustin; center staff; and camp participants from various regions of Ukraine.

Ambassador Bilgen highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between the Turkish and Ukrainian peoples, stating that TİKA’s support to the ARTEK International Children’s Center is a symbol of this enduring relationship and that cooperation will continue in this and many other areas.

Deputy Minister Gonchar expressed gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their support to Ukraine and its children, stressing that the assistance provided to ARTEK also benefits children living on the front lines who are most affected by the war.

ARTEK General Manager Kapustin described the project as a significant step in Türkiye-Ukraine cooperation, noting that children at the center truly feel Türkiye’s support.

He emphasized that Türkiye and TİKA have consistently provided assistance, especially during challenging times, and thanked them for the newly established examination rooms and laboratory, which will play a vital role in diagnosing illnesses among all camp participants, including children from the front lines.

About ARTEK International Children’s Center

ARTEK supports the rehabilitation of more than 11,000 children each year, particularly those affected by trauma, orphans, and children from low-income families, especially since the escalation of the war in 2022. The center conducts activities aimed at developing social skills, providing psychological support, and supporting the education of children displaced by war.