Victor Yushchenko and Iryna Khakamada think assistance to the infirm is point of honor

17:43, 21 June 2004 // "Press Service of Viktor Yushchenko"

Leader of “Our Ukraine” faction Victor Yushchenko together with Iryna Khakamada have visited Kyiv hospice. Russian politician has come on for an informal visit as a head of the Board of trustees’ hospice Fund ‘Vale Hospice International’.

“We have rather savage customs so dying people are burdensome,” has noted Khakamada adding that she was doing her best to help hospice. Victor Yushchenko has stated that society was usually negligent of the destitute and people took little interest in fate of the infirm. So he holds in esteem people aware of their diagnosis but displaying courage.

Upon the visit to the hospice Victor Yushchenko has charged the head of the Healthcare protection committee Mykola Polishchuk with looking into situation in order to provide financing of cancer clinics and other institutions of this kind.

“To my mind we should pursue a public policy of hospice support. Any family or person is unable to carry such burden as care for the infirm,” Victor Yushchenko's emphasized. He's reported that people sent scores of letters filled with sorrows and appeals for help to his Public reception office. “We always respond to these letters but the issue of help to the infirm should be of state concern,” believes “Our Ukraine’s” leader.

This institution still remains unique in Ukraine. Hospice philosophy implies that incurably ill persons should be given every support and pass away decently. Hospice financing is a “mixed” system where one part of the funds is provided by the municipal budget and the rest of them are donations. Besides Kyiv town Council’s deputies from “Our Ukraine” bloc and people’s deputies V. Bondarenko and V. Asadchev have allotted Hr 100 thousand to hospice.

According to the hospice doctors the maintenance costs of one doctor make up 600-800 thousand dollars per year hence medical sector is pressed for money now.

Kyiv hospice has 40-bedded children’s unit and adult department. There is a chapel within the hospital building.