Auditing medical facilities before the cold season
With Ukraine’s energy grid under recurring strain, the Ministry of Health has started checking hospitals ahead of the 2026–2027 autumn-winter period. Deputy Minister Ihor Kopach visited the Khmelnytskyi region, touring four medical institutions and holding talks with representatives of 30 facilities in the region’s capable hospital network. The inspections centered on how hospitals would manage prolonged disruptions to electricity, heating, and water, covering the condition of backup power systems, emergency heat sources, and independent water supplies.
Facilities examined during the trip
The institutions visited include:
- Khmelnytskyi Regional Hospital
- Khmelnytskyi City Hospital
- Khmelnytskyi Regional War Veterans Hospital
- Khmelnytskyi Regional Psychiatric Care Facility
Based on the assessments, 24 of the 30 hospitals in the regional capable network, or 80%, are fully self-sufficient. Every hospital has diesel generators and backup heating, while 24 facilities also draw on their own water sources.
Solar installations are already running at 15 hospitals, and another 15 have submitted applications to build new arrays or expand existing capacity through the “Ray of Hope” project. The Khmelnytskyi medical network has stored about 158 tonnes of fuel for generators, or roughly 5.3 tonnes per institution. Together with regional and local authorities, the Health Ministry is reinforcing standby power, heating, and water systems, and building up fuel reserves.
“The goal of these site visits is to get a true picture of hospital autonomy, check the status of backup electricity and water sources, and spot weaknesses before heating season begins,” said Ihor Kopach.
Equipment winterization is also receiving close attention. That includes protecting generators from freezing, securing boiler houses, oxygen stations, and transformer substations, maintaining fuel reserves, and verifying automatic emergency switching systems. The inspections also test whether critical hospital equipment can handle cold-weather operation.
Preparing medical facilities for winter is essential to keeping healthcare services stable when power supplies are disrupted. The high level of autonomy among Khmelnytskyi hospitals—especially the presence of backup energy and water—indicates solid groundwork for the coming months. The partnership between the Health Ministry and local governments is strengthening hospital infrastructure, which remains vital for delivering medical care under challenging conditions.