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During the occupation of the Chernihiv oblast, when fighting was taking place on the outskirts of the city, the Chernihiv Medical Center for Modern Oncology was damaged by blast waves and mine fragments, in particular, its central six-story surgical building: windows were smashed, the roof and walls were partially damaged, and diagnostic equipment was damaged. Two staff members sustained shrapnel wounds and another suffered a concussion.

“At that time, 49 postoperative and palliative patients who needed constant care were left to be treated there. They were transferred to a one-story radiology department,” recalls Oleksandr Zaika, acting director general of the medical facility. “Doctors consulted patients at home by phone, and those waiting for surgery were sent to areas where there were no active hostilities. The center resumed its work in April last year — we had to cover the windows with shelves and film, and cover the roof with roofing material and work in a building that was in a state of disrepair.”

According to Oleksandr Zaika, the reconstruction of the Chernihiv Medical Center began earlier this year. 

Bayer, a well-known German manufacturer, has transferred EUR 1,300,000 through the UNITED24 fundraising platform to restore and equip medical facilities in Ukraine. According to the decision of the commission on the distribution of funds to meet the needs of healthcare, part of these funds, namely UAH 26 million 784 thousand, was allocated to restore the Chernihiv Medical Center for Modern Oncology.

The medical facility is currently receiving a lot of patients — many internally displaced Ukrainians have moved to the city, and patients from the regions where the fighting is taking place are also coming in.

“The enemy continues to destroy medical infrastructure (medical facilities, maternity hospitals, pharmacies, ambulances) in order to destabilize the healthcare system of Ukraine. Thus, as of now, 1645 medical facilities have been damaged. Another 190 have been completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt from scratch. It is noteworthy that even though the war is ongoing, we are rebuilding medical facilities to provide Ukrainians with quality and free medical care,” says Deputy Minister for Digital Development Mariia Karchevych.

It should be recalled that the funds raised through UNITED24 were used to rebuild the X-ray department of Chernihiv City Hospital No.3. The medical facility became the first UNITED24 project to restore medical infrastructure.