Ukraine’s Minister of Health Oleh Liashko announced that Ukraine’s national specialized children’s hospital, “Ohmatdyt” is being rebuilt with charitable funds.
He noted that the state has reserve funds in its budget to finance the rebuilding efforts if needed.
A Russian missiles attack on Ohmatdyt on July 8, 2024, killed two people and injured dozens, and damaged five buildings including the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.
Russia had attempted to blame the bombing on a Ukrainian Patriot or NASAMS missile, but independent investigations by Bellingcat concluded that the hospital was hit by a Russian Kh-101 air launched cruise missile.
“Today, funding comes from the Ohmatdyt – Healthy Childhood Charitable Foundation, from UNITED24, and from the hospital’s own charitable account. We have also allocated additional funds in the state budget, as the full cost of restoring the hospital wasn’t known at the time. If needed, those funds will be used. For now, however, there is no immediate need to tap into the state budget,” Liashko said, in comments reported by Ukrinform.
Several funding sources have been used for the reconstruction including 312 million UAH raised by Ohmatdyt’s official charity account; another 378 million UAH was received by the Ohmatdyt – Healthy Childhood charity foundation, and 320 million UAH was collected via the UNITED24 platform, according to Ukrinform.
Additionally, the Ukrainian government allocated 100 million UAH from its reserve fund.
Restoration work is already underway on the treatment-diagnostic building and is scheduled to be completed before winter. Priority is being given to restoring the bone marrow transplant unit, which is currently operating off-site. Most other hospital departments resumed operations within two weeks of the attack.
American philanthropist Howard Buffett has pledged over $11 million in medical equipment, Germany has pledged €10 million and the government of Lithuania has contributed $1 million for the project.