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Photos: Ukrainian health care struggles as doctors face resource crunch

Family doctor Rozumiy, like his counterparts elsewhere in country, struggles to bridge the gap between what his patients in rural Ukraine need and what the country's cash-strapped healthcare system can provide. Patchy implementation of a system wide reform drive has raised questions about Ukraine’s ability to modernize amid international pressure after a pro-European uprising in 2013-2014.

Updated on: Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM IST

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Two young patients wait after being seen by Doctor Dmitriy Rozumiy (R) in a small clinic in the village of Ivankovichy, Ukraine. The family physician, like his counterparts elsewhere in the country, struggles to bridge the gap between what his patients in rural Ukraine need and what the country’s cash-strapped healthcare system can provide. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Two young patients wait after being seen by Doctor Dmitriy Rozumiy (R) in a small clinic in the village of Ivankovichy, Ukraine. The family physician, like his counterparts elsewhere in the country, struggles to bridge the gap between what his patients in rural Ukraine need and what the country’s cash-strapped healthcare system can provide. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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His clinic’s decrepit central heating system occasionally fails in the middle of winter, prompting parents to keep their children bundled up in snow-suits during consultations. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

His clinic’s decrepit central heating system occasionally fails in the middle of winter, prompting parents to keep their children bundled up in snow-suits during consultations. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Images of religious icons are displayed alongside old equipment in a clinic in the village of Gvozdyv. His practice, 35 kilometres outside Kiev, is still stuck with Soviet-era medical equipment and lacks basic supplies. Life expectancy in Ukraine is on average five years shorter than the European average, according to the World Health Organization. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Images of religious icons are displayed alongside old equipment in a clinic in the village of Gvozdyv. His practice, 35 kilometres outside Kiev, is still stuck with Soviet-era medical equipment and lacks basic supplies. Life expectancy in Ukraine is on average five years shorter than the European average, according to the World Health Organization. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Rozumiy, 51, has worked as a general practitioner since 2014. Before that, he was as a cancer surgeon but he gave that up because budget cuts were causing late diagnoses and leading to lower survival rates. Patients these days are mostly children and pensioners as many working age adults avoid treatment because they can’t afford medicines. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Rozumiy, 51, has worked as a general practitioner since 2014. Before that, he was as a cancer surgeon but he gave that up because budget cuts were causing late diagnoses and leading to lower survival rates. Patients these days are mostly children and pensioners as many working age adults avoid treatment because they can’t afford medicines. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Medical records of patients are still stored on paper and stacked away in shelves at this Ivankovichy clinic. Recently, Rozumiy said he has seen some improvements since the start of a Western-backed reform drive. “There’s a desperate need,” he said. Patchy implementation of the reform drive has raised questions about Ukraine’s ability to modernise after a pro-European uprising in 2013-2014. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Medical records of patients are still stored on paper and stacked away in shelves at this Ivankovichy clinic. Recently, Rozumiy said he has seen some improvements since the start of a Western-backed reform drive. “There’s a desperate need,” he said. Patchy implementation of the reform drive has raised questions about Ukraine’s ability to modernise after a pro-European uprising in 2013-2014. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Dmitriy Rozumiy fills his car with gas while his children wait inside the car. Last October, parliament approved a long-delayed overhaul of the health system following international pressure. But times remain tough, forcing Rozumiy to consider halting some home visits as he cannot afford the petrol for his car on a salary of around 6000 hryvnias ($230) per month. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Dmitriy Rozumiy fills his car with gas while his children wait inside the car. Last October, parliament approved a long-delayed overhaul of the health system following international pressure. But times remain tough, forcing Rozumiy to consider halting some home visits as he cannot afford the petrol for his car on a salary of around 6000 hryvnias ($230) per month. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Rozumiy examines an elderly patient at her home in the village of Ivankovichy. He said recent positive changes include the launch of programmes to improve treatment for veterans and help pensioners gain access to certain medicines. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Rozumiy examines an elderly patient at her home in the village of Ivankovichy. He said recent positive changes include the launch of programmes to improve treatment for veterans and help pensioners gain access to certain medicines. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Rozumiy helps his children with their homework in the village of Markhalivka. “I hope ... this will give us a chance but if this turns out to be yet another bluff, well then we’ll lose everything,” Rozumiy said. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Rozumiy helps his children with their homework in the village of Markhalivka. “I hope ... this will give us a chance but if this turns out to be yet another bluff, well then we’ll lose everything,” Rozumiy said. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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Ivankovichy is far from unique. Hospitals across the country of 42 million are crumbling, underpayment of medical staff has prompted many to quit and Ukraine’s vaccination rate is one of the worst in Europe. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 9:39 AM

Ivankovichy is far from unique. Hospitals across the country of 42 million are crumbling, underpayment of medical staff has prompted many to quit and Ukraine’s vaccination rate is one of the worst in Europe. (Gleb Garanich / REUTERS)

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