Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) announced a four-year, $12 million partnership on family-centered health care for children across Ukraine. USAID will provide $6 million to support the expansion of RMHC Ukraine and the assistance it offers to families and communities. RMHC will match USAID’s funding with $6 million in direct and in-kind contributions from the private sector.

This first-ever partnership between RMHC and USAID will raise awareness and understanding of the importance of family-centered care across Ukraine’s health-care system, while also supporting families whose children have been hospitalized. This assistance will save Ukrainian families millions of dollars in meals and lodging. The partnership also will expand community-engagement opportunities through a new volunteer-management program instituted by RMHC Ukraine.

Among other activities, RMHC Ukraine will deploy a national education program for the medical community to strengthen Ukrainian health care. These efforts will focus on family-centered care to help ensure that a patient’s family members work with health-care providers to make informed decisions about medical treatment.

For the latest updates on USAID’s assistance in Ukraine, please click here.