Rebuilding Ukraine: Chernihiv maternity hospital restored after Russian shelling

In Chernihiv, a maternity hospital that was damaged by Russian missile shelling during the active hostilities in February-March 2022 has been restored. However, there has been a significant decrease in the number of women giving birth compared to before the full-scale war.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported this.

What is the problem?

During the initial months of the full-scale war, the maternity hospital in Chernihiv suffered damage when two Russian shells hit it. One of the shells exploded near the entrance to the vault, causing damage to 127 windows and the delivery rooms due to the blast wave and shrapnel.

The staff spent 42 days in the warehouse; the account was kept on the board. The last entry is dated April 6.

During the massive shelling, women in labor had to give birth in a basement room, where about half a hundred babies were taken. In the warehouse, doctors also performed operations, in particular, cesarean sections.

What is the solution?

So far, the facade and 42 rooms damaged during active hostilities in February-March of last year have been repaired in the Chernihiv maternity hospital.

^{Photo: Ministry of Health of Ukraine}

How does it work?

According to Vasyl Husak, the maternity hospital won a grant of almost seven million hryvnias from the USAID project.

With this money, it was possible to restore the part of the facade of the medical institution damaged by the explosion – that's four million hryvnias and the ceiling, floor, and walls of 42 premises for 2.7 million hryvnias.

^{Photo: Ministry of Health of Ukraine}

"42 premises, this means where the window was broken, cosmetic repairs were carried out there. We installed the windows ourselves, and they helped carry out the repairs. That is the corridors on the fifth and fourth floors. This is at the expense of a grant. The second floor is the only area remaining, and there is little to be done there. The cosmetic work will be done in 10-15 rooms," Husak said.

According to the general director of the institution, they will perform the rest of the work on their own.

^{Photo: Ministry of Health of Ukraine}

"Now, there is no such great need because significantly fewer people are in the institution. Now there are about 70-60 people, as there were 150-120 people before the war," Husak said.

Today, the medical facility has an impeccable appearance and is ready to comfort small Ukrainians and their mothers fully.

^{Photo: Ministry of Health of Ukraine}

In 2023, almost 3,000 women who received high-quality medical services in comfortable conditions have already used maternity ward services.

For reference:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has cooperated with Ukraine since 1992.

Currently, 42 USAID projects contribute to solving urgent needs and the long-term development of Ukraine as an independent, sovereign, democratic, and prosperous society.

As of February 24, 2022, USAID provided:

• 16.75 billion dollars of direct budget support,
• 1.4 billion dollars of humanitarian aid,
• over $1 billion in development aid.

It should be noted that a hospital was built underground in the Kherson region.

Rubryka also reported that Germany and the EU financed the construction of six modern hospitals in Ukraine.

In addition, the "Iron Shelter" website, where information about the state of shelters will be presented, started working in Ukraine. In 2023, 6,847 shelters should be put in order in Ukraine.