{"id":1283480,"date":"2025-08-21T19:19:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T16:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/from-intensive-care-to-discrimination-how-ukrainian-medicine-betrays-seriously-ill-patients\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T07:43:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:43:40","slug":"from-intensive-care-to-discrimination-how-ukrainian-medicine-betrays-seriously-ill-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/from-intensive-care-to-discrimination-how-ukrainian-medicine-betrays-seriously-ill-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"Abandoned in Illness: When Ukrainian Medicine Turns Its Back on Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>On March 22, 2023, I underwent a complex surgery\u2014a left lateral thoracotomy involving the removal of metastatic pleural nodules, the pericardium, diaphragm, and left lung. A CT scan had revealed a nodular lesion in the left pleura caused by mesothelioma, along with left-sided hydrothorax and fluid accumulation in the right pleural cavity.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"541\">Mesothelioma is an aggressive oncological disease that requires prompt and professional treatment. Following my surgery, I was prescribed a course of chemotherapy. As of August 2025, I had undergone ten sessions; however, the treatment did not produce the desired effect. During this period, I encountered several problems within the domestic healthcare system that raised serious concerns about the quality of medical services and the attitude toward patients.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"543\" data-end=\"583\"><strong data-start=\"543\" data-end=\"581\">Incident at the M24 Medical Center<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"585\" data-end=\"961\">On July 25, 2025, I underwent a routine examination\u2014an MRI of the brain with contrast\u2014at the M24 Medical Center (Kyiv, Stepan Bandera Avenue, 17\/1). Shortly after the contrast agent was administered, my condition deteriorated sharply: a significant drop in blood pressure and oxygen saturation was recorded. The medical staff had to perform emergency resuscitation measures.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"963\" data-end=\"1154\">On July 30, I sent an official letter to the medical director of M24 (Medystar LLC), Iryna Serhiivna Yarusova, requesting detailed information about the incident. Specifically, I asked for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1156\" data-end=\"1222\">\n<p data-start=\"1158\" data-end=\"1222\">The name of the contrast agent (commercial and international);<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1223\" data-end=\"1277\">\n<p data-start=\"1225\" data-end=\"1277\">The composition of the drug, including excipients;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1278\" data-end=\"1321\">\n<p data-start=\"1280\" data-end=\"1321\">The dosage and route of administration.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"72\" data-end=\"111\">\n<p data-start=\"74\" data-end=\"111\">Information about the manufacturer;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"112\" data-end=\"172\">\n<p data-start=\"114\" data-end=\"172\">Serial number and expiration date of the contrast agent;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"173\" data-end=\"229\">\n<p data-start=\"175\" data-end=\"229\">A detailed list of resuscitation measures performed;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"230\" data-end=\"279\">\n<p data-start=\"232\" data-end=\"279\">Medications administered during the incident;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"280\" data-end=\"358\">\n<p data-start=\"282\" data-end=\"358\">Blood pressure and oxygen saturation readings were recorded during the episode.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"359\" data-end=\"407\">\n<p data-start=\"361\" data-end=\"407\">Video footage from the surveillance cameras.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"408\" data-end=\"483\">\n<p data-start=\"410\" data-end=\"483\">MRI results were obtained before the administration of the contrast agent.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"70\" data-end=\"140\">\n<p data-start=\"72\" data-end=\"140\">Blood pressure and oxygen saturation readings during the incident;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"141\" data-end=\"188\">\n<p data-start=\"143\" data-end=\"188\">Video recordings from surveillance cameras;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"264\">\n<p data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"264\">MRI results were obtained before the administration of the contrast agent.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"67\" data-end=\"340\">I requested a response to my email within three business days. However, as of August 4, 2025, I had not received any official reply from Yarusova I.S. This is unacceptable, particularly given the progressive nature of my disease and the urgent need for further treatment.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"342\" data-end=\"506\">The situation only progressed after Ukrainian Members of Parliament intervened and appealed to the relevant authorities, namely the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"508\" data-end=\"838\">On August 8, I received an email response signed by the General Director of Medistar LLC, B. Tsyurko. The response provided information regarding the name of the contrast agent, its composition including excipients, the dosage and method of administration, the list of resuscitation measures performed, and the medications used.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"840\" data-end=\"1163\">However, I was denied access to the examination report and the surveillance camera recordings. The refusal to provide the video recordings was justified by the presence of other individuals in the footage who had not consented to the processing of their data. In my view, this explanation is rather questionable.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1165\" data-end=\"1268\">It is important to note that my difficulties were not limited to this incident at the private clinic.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"149\"><strong data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"147\">Problems with the Attending Physician at the Kyiv Oncology Center<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"151\" data-end=\"385\">After another chemotherapy session on April 10, 2025, at the Kyiv City Oncology Center, my condition sharply deteriorated: I experienced numbness in my extremities, chest pain, excessive sweating, headaches, and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"387\" data-end=\"658\">On April 14, I contacted my attending physician, Dr. Khimich I.I., requesting additional examinations and appropriate medical treatment. My complaints were ignored: no further diagnostic tests were conducted, and no medications were prescribed to alleviate my symptoms.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"660\" data-end=\"952\">Most strikingly, in the discharge summary dated May 14, 2025, Dr. Khimich noted that \u201cthere were no complications during treatment,\u201d despite the clear presence of severe symptoms. Moreover, despite my deteriorating condition, I was advised to undergo two additional courses of chemotherapy.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"954\" data-end=\"1188\">When I later received treatment with the drug Xdjeva on the recommendation of specialists from the National Cancer Institute and requested that this information be recorded in my medical history, the request was inexplicably denied.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1534\">Throughout the entire course of treatment, Dr. Khimich prescribed no supportive medications to improve my condition, relying solely on chemotherapy. This compelled me to seek advice from other medical professionals, including foreign specialists, who recommended postponing the two additional chemotherapy sessions until my health stabilized.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"131\"><strong data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"129\">Discrimination at the National Cancer Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"557\">The most concerning incident occurred on November 13, 2024, during my appointment with Dr. Natalia Viktorivna Kasap, an oncologist in the Solid Tumor Chemotherapy Department of the National Cancer Institute. I arrived with the results of an osteoscintigraphy and the recommendations of oncologist O. Revun, who had prescribed 4 mg of zoledronic acid intravenously, along with chemotherapy using paclitaxel and carboplatin.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"559\" data-end=\"872\">Dr. Kasap refused to admit me to the hospital, citing a lack of available beds and an alleged shortage of zoledronic acid in the department. Furthermore, she suggested that I purchase the drug at my own expense and undergo chemotherapy at home\u2014a recommendation that posed a direct and serious threat to my life.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that zoledronic acid is a drug that affects the structure of bone tissue and prevents its destruction by metastases. The National Cancer Institute <a href=\"https:\/\/unci.org.ua\/bezoplatni-liky\/dorosla-programa-preparaty\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">has this drug in stock<\/a>, as you can see on their official website.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"66\" data-end=\"331\">The National Cancer Institute has signed an agreement with the National Health Service of Ukraine for 16 packages totaling nearly 441 million hryvnias. This agreement allows patients to receive medical services free of charge under the Medical Guarantees Program.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"333\" data-end=\"702\">It was particularly painful for me that Dr. Kasap reacted negatively to my place of permanent registration\u2014Luhansk\u2014and my status as an internally displaced person. I am a participant in the Revolution of Dignity, awarded the medal &#8220;For Love and Sacrifice to Ukraine&#8221; and a personal firearm in recognition of my significant contribution to nationwide military efforts.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"704\" data-end=\"831\">When I requested that Dr. Kasap provide a written, reasoned refusal for denying medical care, I received a negative response.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"833\" data-end=\"865\"><strong data-start=\"833\" data-end=\"863\">Systemic Healthcare Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"867\" data-end=\"958\">My experience highlights several critical problems within the domestic healthcare system:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"960\" data-end=\"1676\">\n<li data-start=\"960\" data-end=\"1158\">\n<p data-start=\"962\" data-end=\"1158\"><strong data-start=\"962\" data-end=\"989\">Lack of accountability:<\/strong> Medical institutions often ignore patients\u2019 legitimate requests for information regarding their treatment, which can have serious consequences for subsequent therapy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1159\" data-end=\"1367\">\n<p data-start=\"1161\" data-end=\"1367\"><strong data-start=\"1161\" data-end=\"1189\">Poor patient management:<\/strong> Doctors frequently disregard complaints about worsening conditions, fail to prescribe necessary examinations and medications, yet formally report the absence of complications.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1368\" data-end=\"1532\">\n<p data-start=\"1370\" data-end=\"1532\"><strong data-start=\"1370\" data-end=\"1406\">Discrimination against patients:<\/strong> The treatment of a patient may depend on social status or place of registration, which is unacceptable in medical practice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1676\">\n<p data-start=\"1535\" data-end=\"1676\"><strong data-start=\"1535\" data-end=\"1569\">Violation of state guarantees:<\/strong> Patients are sometimes denied free medications that are readily available and covered by state programs.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"101\"><strong data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"99\">Necessary Changes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"103\" data-end=\"187\">These cases are not isolated; they highlight the urgent need for systemic reforms:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"532\">\n<li data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"252\">\n<p data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"252\">Strengthening control over the quality of medical services;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"253\" data-end=\"311\">\n<p data-start=\"255\" data-end=\"311\">Ensuring real accountability of medical professionals;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"312\" data-end=\"383\">\n<p data-start=\"314\" data-end=\"383\">Guaranteeing equal access to treatment regardless of social status;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"384\" data-end=\"467\">\n<p data-start=\"386\" data-end=\"467\">Providing transparency in the communication of medical information to patients;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"468\" data-end=\"532\">\n<p data-start=\"470\" data-end=\"532\">Ensuring effective implementation of state medical programs.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"67\" data-end=\"277\"><strong data-start=\"67\" data-end=\"92\">Cancer does not wait.<\/strong> Every day of delay can cost a life. Patients have the right to quality medical care, full information about their treatment, and equal treatment regardless of their origin or status.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"279\" data-end=\"663\">I have appealed to Members of Parliament to take the situation under control and to send formal inquiries to the Minister of Health of Ukraine regarding the inaction of medical personnel. I hope that sharing my experience will contribute to meaningful improvements in the healthcare system for all Ukrainians who require medical care during the most critical moments of their lives.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"665\" data-end=\"840\"><strong data-start=\"665\" data-end=\"673\">P.S.<\/strong> At the time of writing, the Ministry of Health had not responded to parliamentary inquiries dated August 11, 2025, concerning the inaction of medical professionals.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"842\" data-end=\"861\"><strong data-start=\"842\" data-end=\"859\">Next will be\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Also, follow <strong>\u201cPryamyi\u201d<\/strong> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pryamiy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/prm_ua\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/+rtV4dxYu2_cyNjVi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Telegram<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pryamiy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Instagram.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>\u2022 Materials published in the \u201cOPINIONS\u201d section reflect the opinion of the author of the publication, who bears full responsibility for the accuracy of the information.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u2022 The editorial staff of prm.ua may not share the opinions expressed in the author&#8217;s material.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u2022 The owner of the webpage in the \u201cOPINIONS\u201d section is the author of the publication.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On March 22, 2023, I underwent a complex surgery\u2014a left lateral thoracotomy involving the removal of metastatic pleural nodules, the pericardium, diaphragm, and left lung. A CT scan had revealed a nodular lesion in the left pleura caused by mesothelioma, along with left-sided hydrothorax and fluid accumulation in the right pleural cavity. Mesothelioma is an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":1283535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[76871,76872,76875,76893],"class_list":["post-1283480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-2","category-news-feed","category-other-news","category-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1283480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1283480"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1283480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1283540,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1283480\/revisions\/1283540"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1283535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1283480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1283480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}