In this hospital, the lights never go out
Alternative energy sources are helping hospitals in the Dnipropetrovsk region function blackouts
- Українська
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Marina is originally from Kherson region. She came to Dnipro because of her eight-year-old daughter Nikol's critical condition. As the girl's condition rapidly deteriorated, the family made the decision to bring her from Kherson region to Dnipro for treatment. Almost three weeks have passed since then, the first 10 days of which she spent in intensive care while doctors tried to keep her alive.
Since my child was in intensive care, so much equipment was supporting her heartbeat, her blood pressure – everything that was keeping her alive. If the power had suddenly gone out, my child could have died. And having electricity is just as important for other patients and doctors
Dnipropetrovsk region is one of the front-line areas of Ukraine, where shelling regularly causes power outages. For hospitals providing life-saving health care services for children, the power cuts are not merely an inconvenience – they are a direct threat to young lives.
The Regional Family Health Medical Centre in Dnipro is a medical hub that receives children from all front-line regions of Ukraine. It is the largest children's hospital in the east and south of the country.
Every year, more than 400,000 children receive treatment here, and we carry out up to 50 complex operations a day. For us, a power outage is a crisis that can have painful consequences
To ensure children can continue receiving healthcare services , UNICEF, with the support of the European Union, installed solar panels and battery storage systems with a combined capacity of 240 kW at the hospital. The equipment supports the day-to-day operations of the maternity ward, the oncohaematology department, and the paediatric rehabilitation department – where the most vulnerable patients are, and where any power cut is unacceptable. Uninterrupted power supply is also critical for the blood bank and stem cell bank: a power outage there will have severe consequences.
When the lights go out, equipment failures pose a direct threat to a child's life and health. This support is therefore just one part of a wider programme: throughout 2026, UNICEF has been providing alternative power systems to 11 hospitals and outpatient clinics across Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as in other regions. As a result, more than 300,000 children and their parents will be able to rely on medical care even during multi-day blackouts, especially in winter when conditions are more challenging, children face additional health risks, and there is a high risk of attacks on energy supply systems.
Meanwhile, Nikol is gradually recovering. And whenever doctors allow her to briefly leave the ward, Marina takes Nikol and her brother to a nearby park.
We often go for walks. It helps our daughter and son take their minds off the hospital, relax and play
As part of the winter response for 2026-27, UNICEF is expanding alternative energy solutions in health facilities in Ukraine in coordination with the Health Cluster, the Ministry of Health and local authorities. This support will strengthen energy resilience of health facilities, enabling them to continue providing life-saving health care services for children and families.
