Every year, one of the most influential American publications “Time” compiles a list of the hundred most influential people in the world. It is considered a significant reputational achievement to enter this list. In addition, the publication compiles ratings of people who have significant achievements in certain fields. This year, two Ukrainians were included in the list of individuals who made a significant contribution to the development of the health care industry.
The author of the robotic hand
Among the innovators visible on the global market – Dmytro Gazda. He is a Ukrainian doctor and the founder of the Esper Bionics startup. The company is engaged in the production of bionic prostheses. These are so-called robotic arms that read brain-generated cues sent to the nearest functional muscles and use them for movements. These are prostheses of a new generation.
Esper Bionics has offices in Ukraine, Germany, and the USA. One high-tech prosthesis costs tens of thousands of dollars. However, after the start of a full-scale war, Dmytro decided to provide prosthetics for Ukrainians for free.
“It doesn’t make sense for business, but there are things much more important than business,” says Gazda.
Bionic hands are just the beginning for Esper Bionics. Gazda envisions a world—perhaps in just a decade or two—where people will be equipped with all kinds of embedded high-tech devices, from prosthetic limbs to implants that monitor the heart and detect signs of disease or malfunction.
American volunteer of Ukrainian origin
The second among us in the list of the most influential from “Time” is an American of Ukrainian origin Dora Khomyak. She is the head of the Razom charitable foundation, which specializes in helping Ukrainians.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the organization has provided assistance to thousands of Ukrainians, sent equipment and medicines to dozens of hospitals. Among the foundation’s recent achievements is the transfer of several Ukrainian-made mobile medical units for use near the front line. Such equipment allows medics to stabilize seriously injured patients without waiting hours for air transport to evacuate them.
In total, the Razom organization has already spent more than 100 million dollars on helping Ukrainians.
According to Dora Khomyak, Razom’s special sauce sets the Ukrainian health care system for long-term development through training sessions and partnerships with doctors from around the world. For example, Razom works with American surgeons who travel to Ukraine to perform complex surgeries and teach Ukrainian medical students how to perform these procedures in the future. Along with his colleagues, Khomyak also advocates continued support for Ukraine from the US government and parliament.
