The Victor Pinchuk Foundation's program "Cradles of hope" was launched June 1, 2006. Its basic purpose for 2006 (1st stage of program implementation) was the improvement of infant survival rates by providing children's hospitals and maternity centers with modern life-saving equipment. To that end the Foundation allocated a total of 2,525,000 UAH (500, 000 USD). At the first stage of the program implementation the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund (CCRDF) entered into partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. The CCRDF has a great experience of selection, purchase and installation of medical equipment in the hospitals of Ukraine.

To a great extent the Victor Pinchuk Foundation relied on the CCRDF's experience in defining of partners' selecting priorities. In 2006 we selected following hospitals:

1. Chernihiv City Maternity Hospital

2. Volodymyrets Central District Hospital

3. Poltava City Children's Clinical Hospital

4. Dnipropetrovsk City Children's Hospital No.3

5. Volynian Region Children's Medical Centre (Lutsk)

6. Rivne Region Children's Hospital

7. Amosov Cardiac Surgery Institute (Kyiv)

8. Ovruch Central Rayon Hospital (Zhytomyr region)

1. Chernihiv City Maternity Hospital

1.1. Hospital background

The Chernihiv City Maternity Hospital is the region's only maternity centre, which has an equipped neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This maternity hospital is unique in that the infants that are sent to their NICU, are treated for the full term of their treatment even though domestic law requires only 7 days NICU treatment.

Each year, more than 3000 babies are delivered in the Chernihiv City Maternity Hospital. Each year up to 10% of all newborns are admitted by the hospital's NICU. 

1.2. Equipment delivered

By the end of May 2006 within the scope of the "Cradles of Hope" initiative, the Chernihiv City Maternity Hospital received medical equipment to save the lives of newborns and diagnose the condition of ill children. That has greatly improved the quality of medical assistance in the hospital.

1.3. Results obtained

Dameca-Siesta, an anesthetic-respiratory apparatus was being intensely applied as compared to the rest of equipment delivered. The number of Cesarean sections made applying the apparatus within the period from June 1, 2006 though November 1, 2006 at the hospital's surgical department amounts to 255 operations (more than 4 per day).

All together, from the moment the neonatal equipment had been installed a total of 80 patients were treated including 2 small premature infants (from 500 gr. up to 1000 gr.) and 29 premature infants of 1000 gr. and more.

2. Volodymyrets Central Rayon Hospital, Rivne region

2.1. Hospital Background

The Volodymyrets Central Rayon Hospital is located in the northern part of Rivne oblast, an area highly contaminated by Chornobyl. According to the doctors serving the Volodymyrets region, the population's standard of health has been consistently worsening over the 20 years since the explosion.

The region suffers from negative demographical changes: decreased birth rates, increased mortality rates, and, in particular, a general increase in mortality among infants and children.

The rayon of Volodymyrets has the largest population of children in the oblast with a total of 18,797 children. The Volodymyrets Central Rayon Hospital serves 10,228 of these patients. A total of 54.4% of these children suffer from chronic pathologies that require constant medical assistance, care, and treatment. There has been a significant increase of pathologies among infants, including oncological diseases, endocrine pathologies, hemopathy, blood circulation, congenital disorders.

2.2. Equipment Delivered

By the end of June 2006, under to the "Cradles of Hope" initiative, the following medical equipment was purchased.

2.3. Results obtained

Thanks to the equipment provided by the "Cradles of Hope" initiative, the maternity department of the hospital improved its capabilities of treating premature and critical infants with the help of the neonatal incubator. Also, the ability to treat babies with jaundice increased significantly as there were no phototherapy lamps in the hospital prior to this donation. The automatic infusion pumps simplified and improved intravenous treatment of newborns. The anesthesia machine installed in September 2006 allowed performing Cesarean sections; 13 C-sections were performed from the time of the equipment donation.

3. Poltava City Children's Clinical Hospital

3.1. Hospital Background

The Poltava region has been quite successful in the development of neonatology in comparison to other regions in Ukraine. In the city of Poltava, there are a total of three hospitals with NICU departments. The Poltava Region Children's Hospital provides care for infants both from the city and from the entire region and has an experienced ambulance staff and a NICU equipped ambulance. In total, these three hospitals have provided high-quality care to its newborns.

3.2. Equipment delivered

Under the "Cradles of Hope" initiative, the NICU department received state-of-the-art medical equipment.

3.3. Results obtained

2006 in the Poltava region there was a noticeable decrease in the infant mortality rate against that of 2005. These are encouraging results that signify improvement in the system of neonatal intensive care in the region, a great deal due to the equipment supplied within the frame of the "Cradles of Hope" program. With the installment of the respirator a greater possibility exists within the department to provide respiratory support for newborns.

4. Dnipropetrivsk City Children's Hospital No.3, named in the honor of Prof. M. F. Rudnev

4.1. Hospital background

The Dnipropetrivsk City Children's Hospital No.3, named in the honor of Professor M.F. Rudnev is the only hospital in the Dnipropetrivsk region, which provides intensive care treatment to newborns, surgical corrections of birth defects, and physical rehabilitation for disabled children. According to the head doctor of the hospital, 90% of infant mortality and disability rates within the region directly depend on the hospital's activity.

The hospital contains a NICU department for 12 beds. The hospital also has a pathology department for newborns and a rehabilitation facility for children treated in the NICU department and requiring further observation and care. Unfortunately, this NICU rehabilitation facility is in a very old building and is desperately requiring reconstruction.

4.2. Renovation Works

In accordance with the "Cradles of Hope" initiative the following reconstruction of the children's rehabilitation facility was performed at a cost of 352,328.02 UAH:

1. Demolition works (removal of old windows, plumbing, existing water pipes, sewage pipes, removal of radiators and the heating system, demolition of walls, flooring and electrical wires.)

2.Installation of plastic windows and doors.

3.Roof reconstruction.

4.Internal renovation works (building of walls, renovation of the ceilings and floors.

5.Installation of pipes for water, heat, and plumbing.

6.Electrical wiring works.

5. Volynian Region Children's Medical Center (VOCMC), Lutsk

5.1. Hospital Background

The Volyn' Region Children's Medical Center (VOCMC) in Lutsk is the only institution in the Volyn' region that provides comprehensive community care. VOCMC is unique in that it is one of the best children's hospitals in Ukraine. The Center provides high-quality neonatal intensive care and perinatal diagnostics. Also, it has a program in the prevention of birth defects and their early correction as well as a program in improving the methods of rehabilitation for children with complications of the central nervous system. The VOCMC has begun creating a perinatal center with a maternity department in order to provide specialized obstetric-gynecological care for the diagnosis of high-risk pregnancies.

5.2. Equipment delivered

In June 2006, at the request of the Administration of Volyn Region Children's Territorial Medical Centre, within the frame of the "Cradles of Hope" program, there was purchased the ultrasonic diagnostic system SONOLINE G60 S (manufactured by Siemens, Germany) worth of 348,000 UAH that was installed in Perinatal Centre  September 2006:

5.3. Results obtained

The donation of this sophisticated ultrasound allowed the Center to produce very accurate ultrasound scans and have greatly improved its perinatal diagnosis capabilities. In the first two months of use, 480 patients underwent diagnostic examinations using the ultrasound: 395 obstetric and gynecological patients, 20 pediatric patients, and 65 gastro-intestinal patients. In 45 cases, doctors were able to diagnose serious or life-threatening conditions that required immediate treatment.

Due to high resolution capabilities of ultrasonic scanner, the hospital has the possibility to study the pregnancy at all stages of gestation, to improve identification of gynecological and somatic pathology, prenatal pathology of fetus at an early stages of pregnancy. 

6. Rivne Oblast Children's Hospital

6.1. Hospital background

The Rivne Region Children's Hospital provides care for the inhabitants of city and region of Rivne. The NICU department provides emergency care to premature and critically ill infants. When necessary, they accept newborns from their first hours of life.   It is worthwhile noting that this hospital and the NICU service available to the Rivne region in general, is quite insufficient and is in need of improvement. Each year the NICU department treats approximately 1,000 newborns, of which 5% have very low birth weights (under 1500 grams), and 25 % are born prematurely. Patients in its departments most commonly suffer from perinatal complications of the nervous system, jaundice, birth defects, and internal infections.

6.2. Equipment delivered

Within the framework of "Cradles of Hope" there was purchased neonatal intensive care equipment for a hospital's ambulance to allow for the safe and timely transportation of neonates from every rayon of Rivne region to the Rivne Region Children's Hospital's NICU.

7. Amosov Cardiac Surgery Institute, Kyiv

7.1. Institute background

The Amosov Cardiac Surgery Institute in Kyiv is the chief institution in the field of cardiac surgery in Ukraine. The Institute is the major research and treatment center for cardiac care. The center utilizes all modern cardiac surgical operations and interventions with the exception of heart transplantations. Institution's doctors developed many original methods of diagnosis and treatment.

7.2. Equipment delivered

In accordance with the "Cradles of Hope" initiative, in October and November 2006, the Department of Cardiac Birth Defects at the Amosov Cardiac Surgery Institute received these most needed pieces of equipment.

7.3. Results obtained

After the equipment had been installed around 100 patients with complicated heart and vascular abnormalities were treated.  During 2 weeks since resuscitation tables had been put into operation 10 newborns were provided with neonatal resuscitation aid. Thanks to bronchoscope 4 babies were saved and 1 complicated pathology of respiratory apparatus was detected during two weeks. Availability of resuscitation-surgical monitors ensures 24 hour hemodynamic monitoring of a patient provides an overall assessment of blood condition and permanent measuring of blood pressure and displays a comprehensive cardiogram of a patient.

The equipment made it possible to carry out all procedures related to treatment of children who suffer from congenital vascular abnormalities in compliance with international standards. It did facilitate improvement of treatment quality and obtaining better results.

8. Ovrurh Central Hospital

8.1. Hospital background

The Ovruch Central Rayon Hospital, Zhytomyr Region is located 70 kilometers from Chornobyl and is considered to be one of the most heavily Chornobyl-contaminated districts in northern Ukraine. According to the statistical data provided by the hospital, 419 children were born within 9 months of 2006 (100 more than in the same period 2005), of which 22 were treated in the NICU department.  Of the infants treated in the hospital 4 were premature newborns (22-28 weeks of pregnancy) and died as a result of absence of aspiration support.

8.2. Equipment delivered

In accordance with the goals of the "Cradles of Hope" program to decrease infant mortality rate and provide timely medical assistance, neonatology equipment worth of 177,279.80 UAH was installed in the maternity department of the hospital in September of 2006.

8.3. Results obtained

The portable ultrasound serves a dual purpose - 1) fetal diagnosis in the pregnant mother and 2) inspection of an infant after birth. In smaller hospitals, a portable ultrasound is convenient in that it can be easily transported from department to department for multiple uses. Having been given ultrasound, a hospital is able improve perinatal diagnosis of infants' birth defects and plan delivery of high-risk pregnancy women in the Zhytomyr region center. This crucial donation could substantially decrease the amount of premature births in the Ovruch Central District Hospital.

Now that equipment is delivered the hospital can provide initial neonatal assistance to newborns suffering from asphyxiation, underdeveloped lungs, and jaundice. This is very important because of a long distance (140 km.) between Ovruch and a regional centre, which has the only neonatal intensive care unit in the region.