Odesa, Ukraine, 4 July 2023 – City Clinical Hospital No. 8, newly renovated under the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme, reopened in Odesa today. About 46,300 residents of the city will now benefit from improved medical services. The hospital now has the capacity to serve 386 visitors daily – a 33 percent increase on its pre-renovation capacity. 

The renovation is a joint initiative of the Ukrainian government, the European Union, its bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Odesa City Council, with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine (UNDP).

Initiated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, and persisting through the period of full-scale war, the reconstruction project overcame numerous obstacles as it moved forward. The endeavour was backed by a budget of about EUR 1 million, with the European Investment Bank providing about EUR 600,000, and Odesa City  providing the remainder.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine's Restoration and Minister for Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development, emphasized the importance of the cooperation with the EU. “Despite the war and daily attacks, together with our international partners we’re building a new Ukraine – one that is modern and inclusive,” Kubrakov said. “It’s important that the civilized world and progressive financial institutions are united by this idea. I’m grateful to the EU and its bank, the EIB, for their support. This is excellent work within the framework of the ‘We Build Ukraine,’ initiative, which unites international partners around the recovery of Ukraine.”

Sergii Marchenko, the Ukrainian Minister of Finance, said the renovation represents the power of collaborative efforts by the Ukrainian government, EIB and EU, and shared financial commitments. “But beyond the numbers, the true value of this state-of-the-art facility lies in its life-saving potential,” Marchenko said. “Each life that this hospital saves, every Ukrainian life that it improves, has immeasurable worth. So we’re extremely grateful to our EIB and EU partners for helping to implement such projects.”

Olha Zykova, Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine, added that addressing acute social problems in collaboration with international partners was of vital importance to Ukraine. “Thanks to the active role and support of the European Investment Bank, we’ve been able to implement another socially significant project,” Zykova said. “The restoration of the City Clinical Hospital in Odesa is the product of our joint efforts to rebuild Ukraine.”

Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, said the reopening of the hospital could not have come at a better time. “Since the onset of the full-scale conflict, Odesa has become a sanctuary for over 85,000 internally displaced persons,” Kiper said. “In these times of great need, the restoration of this hospital represents a beacon of hope and resilience.”

Jean-Erik de Zagon, Head of the Resident Representation of the EIB to Ukraine, said the reopening of Clinical Hospital No. 8 in Odesa symbolizes the deeply-rooted commitment of the EIB and EU to investing in Ukrainian cities and Ukrainian people on the path to EU accession.  “We’re investing in local infrastructure for a better future for every citizen because we believe in the power of human potential and the enduring spirit of the Ukrainian people,” Zagon said.

Remi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, agreed, saying the hospital renovation was another important demonstration of the EU’s steadfast support to Ukraine: “With the re-opening of this newly renovated hospital in Odesa, a city regularly under missile attacks by Russia, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to stand with Ukraine in its most challenging moments,” Duflot said. “Ukraine was, is, and always will be an inseparable part of Europe, and we, the European Union, are here to help it in any way we can.”

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, thanked the European Investment Bank and the Odesa authorities. “Together with our esteemed partners we mark another milestone of collaborative triumph,” Cilliers said. “Today's celebration is not a standalone success but a testament to our enduring partnership with the people and government of Ukraine. Through our joint endeavours, we’re not merely inaugurating a renovated medical facility – we’re reaffirming our promise to leave no one behind. This is but a chapter in the greater narrative of our shared commitment, and we look forward to achieving many more.”

Background: 

The renovation of City Clinical Hospital No. 8 in Odesa was carried out under the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme or UERP – a EUR 200 million multi-sectoral framework loan from the European Investment Bank. This loan empowers local authorities to renovate social infrastructure and improve the living conditions of internally displaced persons and their host communities. The Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Finance coordinates the UERP.  However, reconstruction projects are fully managed locally by local government bodies. The EU funds technical assistance for the programme, including the support provided by UNDP in Ukraine.

The extensive refurbishment of the hospital involved a range of improvements:

• Strengthening the building foundations through dismantling and reconstructing them
• Reconstructing the brickwork and roof
• Replacing windows and doors, and installing facades and pedestal thermal insulation
• Redesigning the porches and paving the area around the clinic
• Renovating the premises, including through improving the water, lighting, and power supply networks, and the sewerage system.
• Installing sanitary ware, ventilation systems, electric convector heaters, and fire alarm systems
• Carrying out interior finishing works, including floors and ceilings
• Ensuring access for people with disabilities and installing fire escapes
• Carrying out landscaping work.

Media enquiries: 

Yulia Samus, Communications Team Leader at UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org 

Olga Sushytska, Communication officer, EIB in Ukraine, o.sushytska@eib.org