Ukrainian hospitals

I visited my friend at a hospital yesterday. She broke a leg. It is a state hospital, where medical treatment must be free of charge. Most of hospitals in Ukraine are the same.

Gates to the hospital yard were open, nobody around except a few big dirty homeless dogs. I entered in a hospital and saw nobody inside! No reception, no guard, no signs. I couldn’t find where to go. An elevator didn’t work. I hardly found a stair and went to the Travmatologii section. The same – nobody was around. Anybody can come in, any thief or terrorist. One of my friends told me that when she was at the hospital a thief came in their chamber, took all cell phones and ran away. Patients couldn’t stop him because they couldn’t walk.

At least I found the chamber of my friend. There were five beds in a room, but only two were busy. There was a washstand in the chamber. Bathroom is outside and it’s one for 60 patients.

My friend told me that during weekends there are no ANY doctors in the section. There is one nurse for 60 patients, many of which can not walk. Also there is the trained nurse and two very young guys, probably medical students. Patients should buy all medications themselves. A meal is very bad, so the relatives bring a meal to her. Doctors usually pay no attention on patients. Sometimes during all day any doctor comes in the chamber. The trained nurses and nurses didn’t come, also. There is no bell in the chamber to call them. If you need a doctor or a nurse – you should ask somebody to invite them or yell loudly, probably somebody will hear you. It’s necessary to give bribes if you want to get help and treatment.

It’s Ukrainian medical service in the capital of country. What’s in the villages and small towns? Terrible.

I have to say that doctors and nurses get probably the lowest payment in Ukraine. A doctor gets approximately 200-250 dollars a month, the trained nurse – 100-120 dollars. Of course they want bribes and don’t pay attention on patients.