From Ukraine to Czechia: Dr Diana’s New Beginning

“I was born in Zhytomyr and studied medicine in Vinnytsia,” Diana recalls. “It was a peaceful student life – long days of studying and many sleepless nights. After the fourth year, we had to finish our studies online – first because of the pandemic, and then because of the war.”

With the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Diana’s life as a medical student changed overnight. Two weeks after graduating, she was forced to leave the country and move to Czechia.

As a newly graduated medical doctor, she was motivated to use her knowledge to help people in Czechia improve their health; however, it was not easy. She needed to complete additional professional training and licensing procedures to be able to work as a doctor in a new country. When she received an email about a new workshop organized by the Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education (IPVZ) with the World Health Organization (WHO)/Europe’s support, she immediately applied.

“I was really looking forward to it,” Diana says. “It was a nice opportunity to meet some of the professors and doctors who moderate those exams and to understand what they want. The training helped me to see that, as doctors from Ukraine, we can continue working and helping people, and that there are people who need us.”

“Someone Out There Needs Your Help”

The workshop, implemented by WHO/Europe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and IPVZ, was offered free of charge under the European Union (EU)-funded EU4Health project. It supported doctors and health professionals from Ukraine to prepare for the licensing exams required for them to work in Czechia’s health system.

Diana attended and passed the exams, allowing her to obtain her medical licence. She began working at the Znojmo Hospital in southern Czechia, in the field of gynaecology and obstetrics.

“At the beginning, everything was new – the system, the language, even medical terminology. But people helped me understand how things work. That made all the difference,” Diana says.

The hospital also has a centre for endometriosis treatment, a delivery unit and a maternity ward that welcomes both Czech and Ukrainian patients. “It was here that I discovered my true passion,” she adds. “Before, I thought about surgery like my father, but I realised I wanted to work with women and families, to be there for them during such meaningful moments.”

“I think that communication with patients is going very well. I can speak Czech fluently; they understand me and I understand them, too. I try to bring a human touch to my work, approaching everything with love and compassion. Being woken up at 3:00 might be unpleasant, but then you remember that someone out there really needs your help. That thought gives you the strength to get up and go help your patient.”

Professional and Personal Growth

Diana is among nearly 200 displaced health workers from Ukraine who continue to practise their skills in the national health systems of host countries which participated in the project. In November 2025, she joined WHO and IOM at the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) Conference in Helsinki and shared her story in person.

Through this joint project, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals – people who hold the knowledge and skills to protect and save lives every day – received support to prepare for qualification recognition exams, learn about their rights and entitlements and access the training needed to practise their professions officially in their host countries.

By enabling them to serve again, WHO supports the strengthening of health systems while ensuring that their expertise continues to save lives. The project enables them to grow both professionally and personally, so that one day they can bring their skills and experience to support Ukraine and its people.

“Improving access to healthcare for refugees and people displaced from Ukraine benefiting from temporary protection in EU Member States” was funded by the EU as part of the 2023 EU4Health work programme. It ran from 2023 to 2025 in 10 European countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia.

This story was originally published by WHO. Please visit the UN team's website for more information about the UN's work in Ukraine.