Maternity Hospital №3 in Mykolaiv still does not offer free mammograms: there was no contract with the National Health Service

Breast Diagnosis Centre with mammography equipment, photo: Mykolaiv City Council

In Mykolaiv, free mammograms using electronic referrals are available at City Hospital №5. Another healthcare facility — Maternity Hospital №3 — which was also due to launch free mammograms, previously did not have a contract with the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) for this purpose. However, the contract has now been signed, so patients are wondering why they are still being charged for the service.

This came to light during a live broadcast with Iryna Shamrai, Head of the Health Department at Mykolaiv City Council, on 10 April, reports NikVesti.

Iryna Shamrai was asked when free mammograms via electronic referral would become available at Maternity Hospital №3, given that the mammography machine was purchased back in 2025, yet examinations are still being carried out on a fee-paying basis.

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«For residents to use this service free of charge, an agreement with the National Health Service of Ukraine is required. This agreement has now been concluded. Once the agreement is in place, the service will be provided free of charge in accordance with its terms. Currently, free mammograms are available at City Hospital №5 in the Korabelnyi district,» noted Iryna Shamrai.

According to her, renovation and commissioning work has been carried out at Maternity Hospital №3: a breast clinic is now operating there.

«A breast clinic has opened there, staffed by two breast specialists. Based on the results of the examination at Maternity Hospital №3, all necessary care can be provided, including surgical intervention, but only for benign tumours in women,» noted the head of the health department.

Iryna Shamrai promised to speak with the management of Maternity Hospital №3 regarding when free mammography services will begin, and to respond to the woman who raised the question on air.

«Agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) have begun to be concluded. Two regions in Ukraine did not have a functioning network. We were the last to sign a contract with the NHSU. Therefore, our agreements have been in effect since mid-March. It is possible that some agreements were concluded earlier, and some later,» explained Iryna Shamrai.

As a reminder, Mykolaiv City Council has approved a decision to reorganise the city’s healthcare network, which involves the creation of a cluster hospital. According to the decision, City Hospitals №1 and №2, along with the Emergency Medical Care Hospital (EMCH), will be merged with City Hospital №4.

In addition, Maternity Hospital №3 has been transferred to the ownership of the region. It is to be merged with the Regional Clinical Hospital. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych believes this is necessary to preserve the staff.

It was previously reported that at Maternity Hospital №3 in Mykolaiv, abnormalities were detected in 50% of patients during three months of mammography screening. A total of 483 women underwent the screening.