Reorganization or Demise: What Is Happening to the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
12 May 15:38
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health has decided to reorganize the Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery under the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. This decision has sparked a strong reaction among doctors and the medical community.
In particular, cardiac surgeon Gleb Yemets criticized these actions, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
In his post, Yemets stated that the center, in its current form, is effectively ceasing to exist.
“The Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery no longer exists. It has been destroyed,” the doctor wrote.
According to him, the Ministry of Health issued an order to split off the pediatric wing and merge it with “Okhmatdyt,” but medical professionals still do not have a clear understanding of how the new system will function.
“Without a clear staffing schedule, without an understanding of the future structure, and without an answer to the main question: how this system is supposed to function going forward,” he noted.
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Why the center was considered unique
The Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery was established in 2003 at the M. M. Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery following years of discussion about the need for a separate system of care for children with heart defects.
According to Yemets, the facility has become one of the most powerful in the country.
“It is the third-largest cardiac surgery center in Ukraine and one of the best in terms of quality outcomes. And when it comes to surgery for congenital heart defects in newborns, it was a world-class center,” he said.
The doctor also claims that the center was the largest scientific and clinical institution in Europe specializing in congenital heart defects.
Over the years, the center expanded: in 2010, it opened a department for adult patients with congenital heart defects, and after the start of the full-scale war, a new wing for surgeries on acquired heart defects in adults.
What might change for patients
Doctors are most concerned not by the reorganization itself, but by the potential consequences for children with severe heart conditions.
Yemets emphasizes that the center was effectively the only place in Ukraine where a child could receive the entire course of treatment free of charge—from diagnosis to the most complex surgeries and prolonged intensive care.
“Our center was practically the only place in the country where a child with a congenital heart defect could receive a full course of care free of charge,” he wrote.
According to the doctor, treating such patients requires enormous resources, as a single child often undergoes several surgeries and spends weeks or even months in intensive care.
“The funding packages for surgical and neonatal care do not physically cover the costs of such patients,” Yemets asserts.
He also warned of the risk of staff cuts.
“About a third of the staff could simply lose their jobs,” the cardiac surgeon stated.
What the Center Says
Meanwhile, at the Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, officials assure that the facility continues to operate as usual, and reports of its closure are untrue.
“Our Center is undergoing a legal process called ‘reorganization.’ This is purely an administrative step aimed at consolidating resources to improve care for children. It will in no way affect either the quantity or the quality of cardiac care provided,” the administration stated.
The Center explained that part of the pediatric cardiac surgery service will be integrated into “Okhmatdyt” to create a “powerful hub for full-cycle treatment in accordance with global standards.”
They also emphasized that:
- care for children with congenital and acquired heart defects will continue;
- the adult department will continue to operate at its usual address;
- cardiologists, surgeons, and intensivists will remain in their positions.
Patients were urged to rely solely on official announcements from the Ministry of Health and the Center.
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