A hospital in Pivdennoukrainsk is asking for ₴8.6 million of its debt — which it was due to repay to the city budget – to be written off

Pivdennoukrainsk City General Hospital. Photo from the hospital’s Facebook page

The Pivdennoukrainsk City General Hospital is requesting that 8.6 million hryvnias in financial aid, which it received from the local community on a repayable basis, be written off.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Health Committee on 30 June, according to NikVesti.

This relates to funds that the hospital received in 2024 and was due to repay to the local budget according to a schedule; however, no actual repayment has taken place.

Svitlana Kliusova, chief specialist in the Department of Organisational, Medical, Information and Analytical Work at the Health Departmentof the Pivdennoukrainsk City Council, Svitlana Kliusova, explained that the hospital had written to the city council requesting either a change to the terms of the grant or for it to be converted into a non-repayable grant altogether, so as not to have to repay 8 million 660 thousand hryvnias.

In the document, the hospital explains that the repayment of funds could lead to problems with paying salaries and providing care for patients.

«At present, the organisation continues to fulfil important social functions in the healthcare sector and to provide services to the public. However, the organisation’s financial situation remains difficult due to insufficient funding under the medical guarantees programme,» the letter states.

According to information provided during the discussion, the repayment schedule envisaged repayments beginning in April 2026 and full repayment by December 2026; however, no payments have been made to date.

Members of the committee emphasised that there are currently no complete supporting financial documents that would allow for an assessment of the hospital’s actual income and expenditure. Consequently, a decision on amending the terms or writing off the grant has been postponed until data is received from the finance department and the working group has completed its work.

«You keep coming to the councillors asking for money, time and time again. And the councillors are asking you: «Give us the documents, please, we want to see what’s actually going on there. Do you want a committee? Let’s set up a committee. Let’s sort out what problems you’re having there. Perhaps we can help in some way.» The reply: «I don’t need that. Documents. What documents? Who are you to expect us to give you documents?’ Well, how are the councillors supposed to treat you?» asked commission member Dmytro Miroshnyk, addressing the hospital representative.

The committee also emphasised that the hospital must provide detailed data on income, expenditure, staffing levels and actual revenue for the period in question, in order to understand the reasons for the funding shortfall.

A final decision is due to be taken following an analysis of the financial statements and the working group’s findings.

It should be recalled that, following an order by Serhii Lupov, the chief medical officer of the Pivdennoukrainsk City Hospital, the obstetrics and gynaecology department and the paediatric department are to be closed from September. Hospital staff are calling on the city authorities to take action.

After the order was shared on social media, the hospital’s director, Serhii Lupov, commented on the situation himself. He stated that the decision was not linked to the administration’s desire to cut back on medical care, but rather to the consequences of healthcare reform, the demographic situation and the requirements of the National Health Service of Ukraine.

It should be noted that, due to the specifics of healthcare reform and insufficient funding for certain healthcare service packages, the hospital has found itself in a difficult financial situation. A special working group was set up at the hospital to find ways out of the crisis. However, no final proposals have yet been agreed upon. Earlier, at a meeting of the Pivdennoukrainsk City Council’s parliamentary committee on healthcare, it was reported that the hospital’s director, Serhii Lupov, had refused to take part in the working group’s activities.