In the city of Nizhyn, preparations have begun for the construction of a new surgical building at the Mykola Halytsky Nizhyn Central City Hospital, a project being implemented under agreements between Ukraine and France.
The launch event was attended by Ukraine’s Minister of Health, Viktor Liashko; France’s Special Envoy for Assistance and Reconstruction in Ukraine, Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe; representatives of the French company Ellipse Projects; other members of the French delegation and local authorities; as well as the hospital’s management and medical specialists.
Nizhyn Hospital is one of the key medical institutions in the community: it is a cluster hospital within a capable network, with 515 beds, serving around 215,000 residents of the region. This initiative will significantly enhance the region’s capacity to provide medical care and will be an important step in modernizing local healthcare infrastructure.
The project is being implemented under one of two framework agreements between the Governments of the French Republic and Ukraine on hospital reconstruction and modernization and oncology diagnostics, signed in June 2024 and ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in September of the same year. The project is financed through a concessional loan from the French Treasury totaling €35 million and is being implemented by Ellipse Projects, appointed by the French side under the intergovernmental agreement.
“We are extremely pleased to begin the reconstruction of Nizhyn Hospital—a €35 million project, one of many funded by France to support the resilience of Ukraine’s healthcare system,” said France’s Special Envoy for Assistance and Reconstruction in Ukraine, Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe.
In this context, Ukraine’s Minister of Health Viktor Liashko thanked the French side for its consistent support during a meeting with Lacoue-Labarthe and highlighted a number of joint initiatives already underway.
The parties also toured the hospital and reviewed the installed medical equipment. With support from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and international partners, the hospital has been equipped with modern medical technology, including a computed tomography system, an angiography suite, a mobile X-ray system, an oxygen supply system and oxygen station. Additionally, with support from French partners, the hospital received defibrillator monitors, an ultrasound system, and equipment for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which is already in daily use.
“We sincerely appreciate France’s consistent support and partnership, which is already delivering practical results for Ukraine’s healthcare system. This includes the development of a network of prosthetic microclinics, international hospital partnerships—25 memoranda of understanding have already been signed—joint projects to combat antimicrobial resistance, support for specialized medical services, including reconstructive surgery, and the supply of modern diagnostic equipment. Currently, a program is underway to supply 25 mammography units, the first six of which are expected to reach Ukrainian medical institutions by the end of March,” emphasized Minister Liashko.
The new surgical building, covering 6,000 square meters, will be constructed on the hospital grounds, with a full cycle of work including design, construction, equipping, commissioning, and staff training. The building will have three levels, including an underground radiation-protected shelter.
The facility will provide emergency and surgical care. It will feature six operating rooms, an intensive care unit, a laboratory, a central sterilization unit, a medical imaging department, and an additional 100 inpatient beds. As part of the project, modern medical equipment from France will also be supplied. The maximum construction period is 36 months.
Overall, this initiative is part of systematic cooperation between Ukraine and France in healthcare. Numerous large-scale projects are already underway under this partnership, focusing on the development of rehabilitation services, emergency medical care, digital solutions, and technical modernization of hospitals. Collaboration is also ongoing in specialized areas of medicine, including the development of reconstructive surgery in partnership with Superhumans and deepening cooperation in oncology between the Gustave Roussy Institute and the National Cancer Institute, aimed at improving treatment quality and strengthening Ukraine’s oncology capacity.
