Decentralisation in Ukraine enabled hromadas to pool resources for the implementation of joint projects. One of the hundreds of examples is the department of hemodialysis in the Dunayevetska amalgamated hromada in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The Swiss-Ukrainian project “Decentralisation Support in Ukraine” (DESPRO) and the decentralization.gov.ua learned how the hromada managed to implement an expensive project.

Five hromadas - the Dunayevetska urban and Dunayevetska settlement, as well as the Makivska, Smotrytska and Novoushytska AHs, have signed a cooperation agreement. Joint efforts have ensured the functioning of the hemodialysis department. The oblast hospital provided the equipment while the maintenance of the facility is covered by the hromadas themselves.

Each hromada pays for hemodialysis treatment in proportion to the number of patients residing on its territory. To date, the department serves 19 patients.

Earlier, for this service, sick people had to travel tens of kilometers a day to Kamianets-Podilskyi and Khmelnytskyi.

People are grateful that their communities care for them. They say that emergence of this department has greatly facilitated their treatment.