Damaged Okhmatdyt building to be restored in 2025

The Okhmatdyt children's hospital, heavily damaged during a Russian missile attack, is expected to be fully restored in 2025, with plans also underway for the construction of a new, innovative facility at the hospital.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko announced this on Ukrainian television, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I think that we will completely restore the building during 2025, and the construction of another innovative building at Okhmatdyt will begin," he said.

Liashko stressed that as of today, the medical facility is fully ready to operate in the autumn-winter period of 2024-2025.

"Emergency response work has been carried out, the hospital is operating, and medical care is being provided. This was the key priority. A technical report has been prepared, emergency response work is complete, and plans for further restoration are underway. The design process for the new building's restoration will soon begin, leading to a comprehensive project with an estimate. A tender for the full restoration work -- not emergency repairs -- will then be conducted via the Prozorro platform," the minister said.

The missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children hospital on July 8 killed two people and injured 35 others, including nine children. The hospital's toxicology building was destroyed, while the surgical and new buildings, along with the children's cardiology center, were damaged.