«A colossal strain on the healthcare system,» says the Regional Health Authority regarding the queues stretching several months to the ophthalmology hospital in Mykolaiv

There is a waiting list stretching several months ahead for appointments at the Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery in Mykolaiv (formerly the regional ophthalmology hospital). Specifically, in October, patients were being booked for appointments in March 2027. The Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration’s Health Department attributes this to the heavy workload on doctors.

This is stated in the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration’s response to an information request from NikVesti.

A waiting list stretching to March

Olena, a patient at the Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery, told NikVesti that she needs to undergo examinations at least twice a year. She noted that, in general, she has no complaints about the examinations themselves, but there are difficulties in booking an appointment.

«When I contacted the centre in September, they told me there were no appointments available until the end of the year. In October, I was lucky enough to get an appointment for March 2027. Every time I go to reception, they explain that they serve the whole of the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, which is why there’s such a long waiting list,» said Olena.

The Regional Health Authority cites a heavy workload for doctors

In response to an enquiry, the Health Department of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration noted that the medical facility serves the region and patients from across Ukraine, and that there are many people with vision problems. However, they pointed out that the number of people wishing to see a doctor exceeds the number that doctors can normally accommodate.

«The problem of queues forming for routine examinations has objective causes and is linked to the enormous strain on the region’s healthcare system. The hospital provides free specialist medical care exclusively under contracts within the Medical Guarantees Programme. In accordance with the requirements and specifications of the National Health Service of Ukraine, one consultant is required to see 25 patients per day. According to staffing standards, consultations are carried out by three senior consultants. At the same time, in reality, around 95 people visit the branch’s outpatient department every day. As a result, there is indeed a waiting list for routine examinations and surgical procedures,» the Health Department reported.

However, the Health Department assures that emergency care is provided promptly and without queues.

At the same time, they provided data on the number of outpatients seen. The highest number of patients was recorded in 2023.

• In 2022, 28,522 people were seen, including 1,875 children.
• In 2023, the number of patients rose to 49,958, including 6,863 children.
• In 2024, 46,248 people received outpatient care, including 6,157 children.
• In 2025, there were 42,579 patients, including 5,327 children.
• In the first nine months of 2026, the centre treated 29,118 patients, including 3,906 children.

The health department does not rule out that the increase in patient numbers is linked to the fact that residents of other towns, including internally displaced persons, have begun to seek treatment at the Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery in Mykolaiv. However, they clarified that they do not keep separate statistics on the reasons for seeking treatment.

«In accordance with the principle of extraterritoriality under the Medical Guarantees Programme, patients have the right to freely choose a healthcare facility and treating doctor regardless of their place of registration or residence. It can therefore be assumed that, as a result of the security situation, population displacement, changes in patients» places of residence, the «Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery» branch has effectively become a key facility not only for residents of the Mykolaiv region, but also for a significant number of patients from frontline areas, in particular from the city of Kherson and the Kherson region. The facility has no right to refuse to provide medical care to such patients,» the response to the enquiry states.

How many doctors are lacking

The Regional Health Department noted that the «Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery» branch has a provision for 161.75 full-time equivalent posts. In fact, 156.75 full-time equivalent posts are currently filled.

The following posts are vacant: a junior doctor, paediatric ophthalmologist and anaesthetist, ophthalmologist, as well as positions for a nurse, physiotherapy nurse, operating theatre nurse, anaesthesia nurse and junior nurse.

What is being done to reduce waiting lists

The Regional Health Authority noted that, together with the management of the Mykolaiv Regional Clinical Hospital — which includes the Centre for Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery — they are «exploring ways to improve the organisation of appointments and optimise patient flow».

«Currently, appointments are booked centrally via an electronic system and the reception desk, which helps to organise the flow of people. The key step towards reducing waiting times is to recruit new specialists to fill vacant posts, which will enable us to increase the number of daily appointments. The length of the waiting time for an appointment depends, amongst other things, on the number of requests, specialists’ work schedules and medical indications,» the Department of Health stated in its response to the enquiry.

As a reminder, in June 2026, the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration informed NikVesti that there was a shortage of 480 doctors in healthcare facilities across the Mykolaiv region. The region is most in need of GPs, anaesthetists, general practitioners and paediatricians.

Furthermore, Olena Masalitina, head of the infectious diseases department at the hospital in Pervomaisk and a member of the regional council representing the «EU» faction, stated that the staffing crisis is now critical.