Ukraine's Village Doctor
With long-delayed reforms to Ukraine's creaking health-care system set to be rolled out, Reuters photographer Gleb Garanich documented the conditions currently faced by one rural doctor.
1
Doctor Dmytro Rozumiy tends to a tiny patient. The 51-year-old general practioner once worked as a cancer surgeon but gave up after he became convinced that budget cuts were leading to higher death rates.
2
Rozumiy (right) in a small clinic in the village of Zeleniy Bir. In October 2017, Ukraine's parliament approved a long-delayed overhaul of the health system.
3
Two young patients waiting to be seen by Rozumiy. Some of the reforms are aimed at boosting the earnings of doctors who service more patients and allowing more patients to choose doctors and hospitals themselves.
4
Patients wait to see Rozumiy at his clinic in Ivankovichy. Acting Ukrainian Health Minister Ulana Surpun recently said, "Nobody likes Ukrainian medical services today -- neither doctors nor patients."
5
Images of religious icons alongside old equipment in a clinic in the village of Gvozdyv.
![A washbasin in the Zeleniy Bir clinic. "I hope...[the coming reforms] will give us a chance," Rozumiy told Reuters, "but if this turns out to be yet another bluff, well then, we’ll lose everything."](https://gdb.rferl.org/21e508c8-24ff-4752-8681-c03b9ee517b5_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
6
A washbasin in the Zeleniy Bir clinic. "I hope...[the coming reforms] will give us a chance," Rozumiy told Reuters, "but if this turns out to be yet another bluff, well then, we’ll lose everything."
7
Examining a patient at her home in the village of Ivankovichy. Rozumiy's patients are mostly very old or very young, with working-age adults seemingly avoiding the costs of medicines wherever possible.
8
The village of Gvozdyv, where Rozumiy keeps a clinic.
9
Rozumiy shopping for groceries with his two children. The doctor has his own struggles with finances, earning the equivalent of just $230 per month.
10
Rozumiy gases up his car as his children wait.
11
Rozumiy drives to an appointment. The doctor says he is considering ending some home visits because he can't afford the costs.
12
Rozumiy at his clinic in the village of Ivankovichy. Despite a large medical workforce, Ukrainians have a life expectancy around five years less than the European average.
13
Locals of Ivankovichy plunging into icy water during a religious ceremony. The reforms to Ukraine's health-care system are scheduled to take place by 2020.