Scandal at Boyarka Children's Hospital: Request to Transfer Funds from Patient's Father Confirmed

Confirmation of the fact of the request to transfer funds

An internal official investigation has been completed at the Kyiv Regional Children's Hospital located in Boyarka. It was initiated following a public complaint from war veteran Sviatoslav Boyko, who expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment conditions for his daughter. The hospital's General Director, Kateryna Savinova, confirmed in an interview with the publication "Moya Kyivshchyna" that staff in the surgical department did indeed ask the man to purchase washing supplies or transfer 200 hryvnias for the hospital's needs. As a result of the review, the involved employees were subjected to disciplinary action.

Circumstances of hospitalisation and the father's claims

According to management data, on 20 October at 14:30, an ambulance delivered a child with thermal burns to the hospital. After examination by a surgeon and a paediatric anaesthesiologist, the patient was bandaged and placed in the surgical department on specialised burn care beds.

Subsequently, the girl's father publicly stated that he had received inadequate service. Among his complaints were the poor condition of the wards, a shortage of medicines, delays in bandaging, and a request to provide money for the department's needs.

Administration's explanation regarding stay conditions

Kateryna Savinova explained that the surgical department is temporarily located in the premises of the first paediatric department due to the capital repair of the building's fourth floor. She acknowledged that these premises are outdated and require renovation, but emphasised that the child was in a separate two-bed room with its own bathroom.

Regarding the accusations of procedure delays, the director noted that on that morning, the attending doctor was performing a complex operation. The time for the next bandaging was determined taking into account his availability and the patient's medical indications.

Reaction to the incident and the patient's condition

«На жаль, це дуже прикро. Мені дуже соромно. У нас взагалі адміністрація лікарні й політика лікарні не передбачає жодних таких поборів із хворих. Але це з ініціативи саме працівників хірургічного відділення було запропоновано купити мийні засоби чи заплатити 200 гривень. На що батько не погодився, і ці гроші він не платив. Але такий факт був» ("Unfortunately, this is very unpleasant. I am very ashamed. Our hospital administration and hospital policy do not provide for any such levies from patients. But this was proposed at the initiative of the surgical department staff themselves to buy washing supplies or pay 200 hryvnias. The father did not agree to this, and he did not pay this money. But such a fact existed"), said Savinova.

Following the incident, the administration conducted an internal official investigation. The situation was considered at a meeting of the medical council, and the involved employees were punished. After the parents' appeal, the girl was transferred to the Kyiv City Children's Hospital to continue treatment. According to the head, the child's condition at the time of transfer was assessed by medical professionals as closer to satisfactory.

Opinions of other patients and possible discreditation

Against the backdrop of the scandal, positive feedback from other parents began to reach the editorial office of "Moya Kyivshchyna". One of the interlocutors, whose family has been using the hospital's services for over 15 years, stated that during this time, the conditions and level of service had significantly improved. He also suggested that the scandal might be of a commissioned nature.

Journalists asked Kateryna Savinova whether she sees signs of a discreditation campaign against the management in the situation. «Я, чесно кажучи, не виключаю такої можливості, але прямо стовідсоткової впевненості в мене немає» ("I, honestly speaking, do not rule out such a possibility, but I do not have direct hundred-percent certainty"), the director replied.

At the same time, she emphasised that the administration does not deny the existence of problems in the hospital and does not absolve itself of responsibility. «Ми дуже бажаємо тій родині, щоб одужала ця дитина і все було добре. Ми уважно ставимося до кожного звернення пацієнтів і не заперечуємо наявності проблем» ("We very much wish that family that this child recovers and everything is fine. We pay close attention to every patient appeal and do not deny the existence of problems"), Savinova noted.