📌 This post is a continuation of our story. You can read the previous part here: Symptoms of Macular Degeneration, the Amsler Grid Test, and Protecting Mom's Vision.
✍ When we faced the need for intravitreal eye injections for Mom, an important practical and financial question arose: where in Kyiv can these injections be done cheaper or even completely free of charge, how the referral system works through the NHSU (National Health Service of Ukraine), and how long we would have to wait in line at state hospitals.
In state hospitals in Kyiv, such as Medmistechko (Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 6) and Oleksandrivska Hospital, these procedures can be done significantly cheaper than in private ophthalmic centers, and under certain conditions, even completely free. They operate under different financial mechanisms thanks to state and municipal support.
How It Works in Kyiv State Hospitals 🏥
- Partially free treatment: You only pay for the medication itself. The injection procedure itself, the surgical team's work, sterile operating room, anesthesia, and all consumables are free for Kyiv residents with an official referral, as they are covered by the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU). The expensive medication (Eylea or Vabysmo/Beovu) is purchased at a pharmacy with a prescription independently. Thanks to this, the total cost of one injection is reduced by approximately 2,000 to 3,000 UAH ($45–$70 USD) compared to private clinics, which is a huge relief for a family budget, especially considering that this amount can equal a significant portion of a monthly pension in Ukraine.
- Fully free treatment: Provided under targeted city and state programs. Municipal programs (such as "Health of Kyiv Residents") and centralized purchases by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine operate periodically in Kyiv. Under these programs, special batches of free Eylea medications are allocated to Oleksandrivska Hospital and the City Center for Eye Microsurgery based at Medmistechko for pensioners, people with disabilities, and other preferential categories.
Steps to Receive Benefits or Free Injections 📋
- Get an electronic referral: Request an electronic referral from your family doctor or district ophthalmologist at the clinic for a consultation and intravitreal medication administration at Oleksandrivska Hospital or Medmistechko.
- Contact the specialized department: With this referral, visit the chosen hospital: in Oleksandrivska Hospital, this is the eye department (building No. 4), and in Medmistechko, it is the Kyiv City Center for Eye Microsurgery.
- Ask about medication availability: During the consultation with the doctor or department head, directly ask about the availability of free Eylea medications under state procurement or humanitarian programs for pensioners with diabetes.
If free medications are in stock, the patient is placed on a waiting list and receives the injection completely free of charge. If free stocks are temporarily unavailable, you will be offered to buy the medication at a pharmacy, while the procedure itself will be performed free under the NHSU program.
Waiting List Features and Timeline ⏳
- Purchasing medication independently: The waiting list for a consultation and procedure is minimal. After receiving a referral, booking a consultation usually takes 3 to 7 days, and the injection itself is scheduled very quickly — literally the next day or within a week, as operating rooms work daily.
- Fully free injections under programs: The waiting list can range from several months to half a year. This is because medications do not arrive continuously, but in separate batches (tranches) several times a year. Doctors form lists of patients in need and call them in order as soon as medications arrive at the warehouse.
For us, this turned out to be very convenient: since Mom has an early stage of edema and her vision has not deteriorated yet (no symptoms), we have an ideal buffer of 2 to 3 months. We are using this time calmly to lower her glycated hemoglobin from 9% to a safe 7.5% with the help of an endocrinologist and a diet featuring lentils, buckwheat, and protein dishes. By the time her body is fully prepared for the procedure, her turn for preferential treatment may just arrive 🏥👁️✨
👉 Read the next part: Chromium Chelate for Sweet Cravings and Vitamin D3 in Diabetes: Dosage and Rules of Intake