2024 10:39 PM7 min readNataliia Kotova (L)
photographed at the new modular polyclinic opened thanks to international donors in Pereshchepyne
by Editor's note: This story was sponsored by U-LEAD (Ukraine – Local Empowerment
a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union and its member states Germany
to support the establishment of a transparent
accountable and responsive multi-level governance system in Ukraine
69-year-old retiree Zinaida Maznytsia had to travel 50 kilometers from her hometown of Pereshchepyne for a medical checkup
She either had to ask her son to take her there
or simply skip the visit as she couldn’t travel that far on her own
However, in January, Maznytsia’s life became much easier as a new modular polyclinic opened in Pereshchepyne, thanks to Ukraine's cooperation with Germany
this is a colossal breakthrough in the development of healthcare," says Pereshchepyne Mayor Yaroslav Tsvirkun
"Healthcare in our region is a priority
and vulnerable groups who need quality medical care."
Pereshchepyne is a small town with 9,000 residents located in the central Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, which borders four regions with partially occupied territories and ongoing hostilities
photographed at the modular polyclinic in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)Though it has faced only a handful of Russian attacks since 2022
the town has been impacted by the war in many other ways
seeing an influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and long blackouts due to Russian strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure
To cope with these challenges, local authorities turned to international partners for support
Constructing modular hospitals in regions heavily affected by the war helps to curb the war's negative effects on Ukraine's healthcare system, says Health Minister Oleh Liashko
Pereshchepyne is nearly 200 kilometers from the front line
but it hasn’t been targeted by Russian attacks as often as the neighboring city of Novomoskovsk or the regional capital of Dnipro
Life here is seemingly peaceful and quiet – except for the frequent wailing of air raid sirens
Due to its location, Pereshchepyne became a transition point and a home for thousands of Ukrainian IDPs escaping the active war zone after Feb
Accommodating and providing them with various forms of assistance became one of the most significant challenges for local authorities
Tsvirkun says they were among six territorial communities in Ukraine to receive modular polyclinics from the German development agency for international cooperation GIZ
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)The modern one-floor building made of easily installed prefabricated modules stands right in front of the dilapidated Soviet-era inpatient ward hospital
highlighting the contrast between Pereshchepyne's past and potential future
The polyclinic brought essential changes to the community of over 20,500 residents (the town and surrounding villages) and nearly 2,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs)
whom locals previously had to travel long distances to see
we would have to travel 50 kilometers to the Central District Hospital (in Novomoskovsk)
"So it’s good that they built a polyclinic here
close by and with everything (needed)."
The polyclinic receives nearly 25 patients daily from the community and other settlements in both Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts
"We’ve become a certain support point for a 50-kilometer area around," says polyclinic administrative staff member Oleksandr Vashchenko
"Now, many IDPs who have suffered war-related injuries are turning to us... Conscripts and military personnel also turn to us, so we’re open to everyone," says the head of the hospital Nataliia Vashchenko, originally from now-occupied Mariupol
She is one of the IDPs from war-torn Donetsk Oblast working at the polyclinic, as is Nataliia Kotova, a gynecologist from Kurakhove
a city just several kilometers from the current front line
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)Zinaida Maznytsia (C) and Nataliia Vashchenko (R) in the polyclinic in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)Power generator in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)"It was really important for me to continue working and helping women," Kotova says
we have doctors who work in regional centers and come to us
and they’re happy that our small town has very modern equipment," adds Vashchenko
In light of Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine's energy system
the polyclinic was built to be energy-efficient and equipped with a power generator and solar panels: "This is important because blackouts often occur
which slightly disrupts everyone," says Vashchenko
"When we are energy-independent and in energy-efficient conditions
we can provide medical care regardless of external factors."
"International support gives us new impetus and a new boost to our community’s livelihood," says Tsvirkun
Pereshchepyne’s rapid progress started nearly four years ago when the territorial community was formed under Ukraine's 2014 decentralization reform
which granted more economic and political freedom to small villages and towns
"Decentralization reform gave us a chance to be independent, and it paid off when the full-scale war began," says Tsvirkun, adding that it allowed communities to seek support both within and outside Ukraine without waiting for the state
Opening a brand new Administrative Services Center with the help of U-LEAD
was among the first significant improvements for the community
People sit outside the modular polyclinic in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)People inside the new Administrative Services Center in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)It now allows locals to do all necessary paperwork in one place
the center also became a welcoming point for all IDPs coming to Pereshchepyne
The program also helped them launch a "mobile invincibility point," providing residents with a place to warm up and charge their gadgets amid the cold winter with blackouts
Pereshchepyne’s police officers and first responders received power generators at the start of the full-scale war: "It was one of the first generators our unit has received…Back then
receiving it was crucial for us," says Eduard Obukhov
deputy head of the 49th fire rescue unit based in Pereshchepyne
The international partners also have helped establish co-working spaces and launched computer literacy classes for the elderly and IDPs
among other projects aimed at improving the quality of life for residents and encouraging them to stay in the community
"To hold various democratic discussions
to involve the population in discussions and decision-making
we simply need locations," the mayor says
"Because all of our venues were outdated due to the lack of funding
leaving us with no place to gather people."
"I understand that these may be small projects
Tsvirkun recently returned from a trip to Slovenia, where he spent three weeks learning from local authorities under the "Bridges of Trust" program by U-LEAD
It inspired the mayor to create a strategy for Pereshchepyne to preserve its cultural heritage and implement recycling and waste management
Children play in a schoolyard in Pereshchepyne
(Liza Pyrozhkova / The Kyiv Independent)They are now looking for donors to help them renovate the old hospital and launch a rehabilitation center
"If we live in sufficient comfort at home
there will not be many refugees going to Europe
and people will not be relocating to EU countries," Tsvirkun says
then even the European countries will benefit."
"They help us because they have genuinely big hearts
but also because it reduces the influx of refugees to their countries," he adds
"We need to improve international cooperation and be useful to each other."
Daria Shulzhenko is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent
She has been a lifestyle reporter at the Kyiv Post until November 2021
She graduated from Kyiv International University with a bachelor’s in linguistics
specializing in translation from English and German languages
She has previously worked as a freelance writer and researcher.