Destruction of Ukrainian hospitals in numbers: during the full-scale war, russia damaged 1938 and destroyed another 297 Ukrainian medical facilities

For more than two and a half years of full-scale war, russia has been targeting and bombing Ukrainian healthcare facilities. The enemy systematically destroys hospitals, clinics, outpatient clinics, maternity wards, etc.

As of the end of December 2024, russia had damaged 1,938 medical facilities in 715 healthcare institutions. russia also completely destroyed 297 facilities in 114 medical institutions. Hospitals in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts suffered the greatest losses. It is currently impossible to obtain comprehensive information on the extent of damage to medical facilities in the temporarily occupied territories.

However, despite the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine, the joint work of government agencies, international partners, and the medical community has resulted in significant recovery efforts.

In particular, 576 facilities of Ukrainian medical institutions have been fully restored, and another 372 facilities have been partially restored. These are mainly medical facilities in the de-occupied territories, as well as those that have suffered minor damage: broken windows, roofing, facade damage, etc. Most facilities have been restored in Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv oblasts.

Thus, in 2024, 124 medical facilities were successfully rebuilt and put into operation, including:

• Chernechchyna Primary Health Care Center, Khukhra Outpatient Clinic of General Practice of Family Medicine;
• Chernihiv Regional Hospital, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Surgical Dentistry;
• Velyka Oleksandrivka Primary Health Care Center, Borozenske Outpatient Clinic of General Practice of Family Medicine;
• the first stage of reconstruction of the polyclinic building of the Chernihiv Central District Hospital, etc.

It should also be noted that in 2024, more than UAH 4 billion was allocated from the state budget for the implementation of 143 healthcare facilities renovation projects. Seven projects have already been fully implemented; 22 projects are at the final stage of implementation. Construction work has begun and is ongoing on 59 projects.

In addition, design and estimate documentation has been developed for 7 projects and a positive expert opinion has been received, which will allow further funding to begin reconstruction of the facilities.

Also, under one of the joint projects of the Ministry of Health and the World Bank “Health Enhancement and Lifesaving” (HEAL Ukraine), 22 healthcare facilities renovation projects were selected for implementation and/or continued in 2024, including five projects for the development of design and estimate documentation and 17 for construction and installation works.

The UNITED24 platform also helped raise funds for the restoration of medical infrastructure. In 2024, thanks to the support of the global initiative, six projects for the renovation of medical facilities were launched, of which three were successfully completed.

Among the plans for the restoration and development of the healthcare system for 2025:

• continuation of the implementation of the Emergency credit program for rehabilitation of Ukraine;
• implementation of projects under the Ukraine Recovery Program;
• implementation of projects at the expense of the Fund for Elimination of the Consequences of Armed Aggression;
• new renovation projects, including the continuation and launch of 25 projects, with a planned total funding of UAH 5.6 billion for 2025;
•  continuing and expanding cooperation with UNITED24 and HEAL Ukraine, etc.

Another important area of work in 2024 was the construction of shelters and safe conditions in medical facilities. This year, the Ukrainian government has allocated one billion hryvnias to implement 46 projects under two budget programs.

Despite the challenges and consequences caused by the full-scale war, the Ministry of Health, together with its partners, continues to work to restore medical infrastructure and create safe conditions for patients and medics in hospitals. Thanks to the restoration and reconstruction of medical facilities, medics continue to provide medical services and patients have unimpeded access to the necessary medical care.