Ronald McDonald House Charities signed the Memorandum with Ukrainian Ministries and OHMATDYT hospital
Kyiv, Ukraine, (November 30, 2021) – Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, National Children Specialized Hospital OHMATDYT announced the signing of memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the construction of the first Ronald McDonald House in Ukraine.
The construction of the first Ronald McDonald House with approximate area 2,500 square meters is planned in Kyiv on the territory of the largest children's hospital in Ukraine OHMATDYT, which treats up to 20,000 children from all over the country and about 10,000 operations yearly, so they need facilities to improve their material and technical base. RMHC will lead the development, operations and ongoing management of the new House program in Ukraine.
Ronald McDonald House programs around the world provide comfort, support and resources for families with hospitalized children just steps away from the hospital, so that nothing distracts the family from the most important thing – the treatment of their own child. RMHC Ukraine plans to equip the Ronald McDonald House with 50 separate rooms, which will be able to provide more than 18,000 overnight stays each year at no cost to families, saving them tens of millions of hryvnias, on accommodations and food when the child is ill. At the same time, it reduces the burden on the hospital, as patients who receive outpatient treatment will be able to stay in the Ronald McDonald House. Thus, OHMATDYT will be able to provide medical care to a larger number of specialized patients. Completion of the Ronald McDonald House is scheduled for the end of 2023.
"Today we have taken an important step to facilitating a family-centered care of children in Ukraine - we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of the Ronald McDonald House on the basis of NCSH “OHMATDYT". There are already 381 such programs in the world, while in Ukraine, thanks to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, there are only 5 Family Rooms in the state children's hospitals in Kyiv, Lviv, Sumy, Vinnytsia and Kharkiv. As part of the construction of the Ronald McDonald House on the basis of NCSH "OHMATDYT" there will be 50 rooms where children can keep close to their parents during hospital care," said Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
"The opening of the Ronald McDonald House in Ukraine is a breakthrough for our country, and we are grateful that this program has received support at the highest state level. In the five years of our existence in Ukraine, we have been able to help families 70,000 times thanks to the Ronald McDonald Family Room programs. We will now be able to provide vital resources and care to even more families. Being around and feeling supported by loved ones is very important for seriously ill children, because according to the study, every second child experiences stress in hospitals due to the absence of parents," said Galina Solovey, Executive Director, RMHC Ukraine.
The development of the very first Ronald McDonald House in Ukraine is made possible by the generous donors supporting development and expansion of RMHC Ukraine. Support for preparatory work is being carried out within a 4-year partnership program between RMHC and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the expansion of family-centered health care services for children across Ukraine.
“The United States contributes to the overall development of Ukraine's health care system by joining forces with the private sector, civil society and government organizations to advance Ukraine’s ambitious healthcare reforms and increase access to quality services for families. Our partnership with RMHC embodies that spirit of collaboration, which we clearly see here today with the signing of this MOU,” said James Hope, USAID/Ukraine Mission Director.
The signed memorandum between Ronald McDonald House Charities in Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and NCSH OHMATDYT is a manifestation of the state's attention to solving major problems of small patients and support within their competence to implement the program. The memorandum defines the terms of the project and the main steps that the parties will take to do so.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is a non-profit corporation that creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through a global network of over 260 Chapters in 62 countries and regions, RMHC enables, facilitates and supports family-centered care through three core programs: The Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC programs help families with ill or injured children stay together and near leading hospitals and health care services worldwide, ensuring they have access to the medical care their child needs while fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care. For more information, visit rmhc.org. Follow RMHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities Ukraine
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Ukraine is a charitable non-profit organization that creates and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Since 2017, RMHC Ukraine has opened and maintains five Ronald McDonald Family Room programs in public children hospitals in Kyiv, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Sumy and Kharkiv. Ronald McDonald Family Room programs serve families right in the hospital, just moments away from a child’s bedside and provide a place for family members to recharge, grab a bite to eat, or get rest so they can be strong for their children. RMHC Ukraine seeks to be a catalyst for family-centered care in Ukraine through program services, education and outreach to healthcare professionals across the country.
