«We work for quality, not sharing medical facilities»: Kim's response to city authorities on statements about the transfer of Mykolaiv hospitals

Yuriy Hranaturov responds to Iryna Shamrai on the reorganisation of hospitals in Mykolaiv, archive photo

Deputy Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Yuriy Granaturov commented on public statements made by the head of the city's healthcare department, Iryna Shamrai, regarding the possible transfer of certain hospitals from the city to the regional level. According to him, this is not a political or administrative confrontation, but a long-term process of creating a single hospital district based on professional calculations and recommendations from the Ministry of Health and international experts.

He said this in a comment to NikVesti.

As you know, the head of the Mykolaiv Health Department, Iryna Shamrai, said during a meeting of the deputy commission on the law of the Mykolaiv City Council, where, among other things, the issue of reorganisation and merger of several city hospitals was discussed, that the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration proposed that the city transfer Maternity Hospital №3 and City Children's Hospital №2 to the regional ownership in order to join them to the regional medical institutions. But it opposed this decision.

Advertising

«We do not divide healthcare facilities into city, district, and regional ones. Because a single hospital district will be created. It should be a single system. There is no such understanding as «my hospital», «your hospital». There is a concept that we will come to: a capable network and a single hospital district,» said Yurii Hranaturov.

He stressed that the initiative to create a capable network in the region is not his personal opinion.

«This is not my personal position. This is a professional position of the regional military administration based on the conclusions of the relevant ministry and recommendations of international experts,» he stressed.

Two years ago, according to the official, the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration initiated a meeting with Health Minister Viktor Liashko to engage international expertise: «Vitalii Kim and I had a meeting with Health Minister Liashko and asked for professional international experts who could make all the necessary calculations based on a huge array of data for each healthcare facility in Mykolaiv region».

The USAID team, as well as Ukrainian medical and economic experts, joined the process. Together, they prepared an analytical document that became the basis for the formation of a capable network of healthcare facilities.

«Among other things, they discussed the most effective merger that would bring more economic benefits, professional development and, as a result, improve the quality of healthcare services to every citizen,» said Yurii Hranaturov.

In the document, international experts recommended, in particular

• Merger of the city maternity hospital №3 with the regional hospital to create a full-fledged perinatal centre;

• merger of the city children's hospital №2 with the regional children's hospital, which will soon receive a new surgical building at the expense of the state and the World Bank.

«This is not about saving money. It is about quality, efficiency and professional development. They took into account real indicators — from birth rates to the level of post-traumatic conditions. This is a very comprehensive approach,» explained the RMA Deputy Chairman.

At the same time, according to Yurii Hranaturov, no decisions have been made to transfer the institutions.

«Yes, indeed, we had a conversation. These issues were discussed. But they were just discussed, consulted, listened to the arguments of the city authorities and no decisions were made. And to date, there have been no official appeals to the city authorities regarding such a reform,» he said.

He also emphasised the RMA's principled position to act exclusively within its competence: «We do not interfere in local government. We are engaged in a dialogue. We work tolerantly, for a common result, for quality».

Regarding Iryna Shamrai's statements about the fate of the Children's Home, the official said: «It is an obscenely incorrect phrase that should not be said at all. To comment on something, you need to understand at least something basic. No one closed the Children's Home. It was reorganised and merged with the regional children's hospital. We got an excellent medical facility with a wide range of services».

Due to a government decree that prohibits the location of such institutions within a 100-kilometre zone from the frontline, the children were temporarily evacuated to other regions of Ukraine. Hranaturov thanked his colleagues who took in the children in the west of the country.

«Professionals should understand that it is impossible to divide anything — these are all forms of state and municipal property. We have to work together for a common result. And to some emotional heads of departments, I would like to say: sitting in a glass house, you should not throw stones. We need to work together, tolerantly, calmly and with mutual respect,» said Yurii Hranaturov.

As you know, Mykolaiv's healthcare department has come up with an initiative to reduce the number of hospitals in the city from six to three by merging them. In addition to merging hospitals, the reform will also cover maternity hospital №3, which, unlike other maternity hospitals in the city that were merged with hospitals last year and became departments, remained an independent legal entity.

• The ambulance hospital and hospital №4 are to be merged with hospital №1;
• Maternity Hospital №3 and Children's Hospital №2 — to Hospital №3 (Dubky);
• Hospital №5 (Korabelnyi district) will not be affected by the reform.

During the commission meeting, Iryna Shamrai, Head of the Mykolaiv Health Department, explained that the need to reorganise and merge large hospitals in Mykolaiv this year was due to the requirements of the National Health Service of Ukraine to provide full funding for medical services.

Olena Kiseliova, head of the deputy commission on legality of the Mykolaiv City Council, a member of the European Solidarity party, expressed strong criticism of the plans to reorganise the city's medical network.