Scheme of embezzlement of NHS funds exposed in Odesa region

A possible scheme of misappropriation of budget funds in a medical institution was exposed in Odesa region. Officials are suspected of falsifying patient data and artificially increasing the volume of medical services provided.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

According to the investigation, the management of the Central District Hospital of the Safianivka Village Council of Izmail District could have organized a mechanism for seizing funds from the state budget under the medical guarantee program through the National Health Service of Ukraine.

In 2023-2024, the medical institution received more than UAH 107 million, and for part of 2025 - more than UAH 22.6 million. At the same time, according to the investigation, the number of declared services looks disproportionately high - on par with or even higher than in large hospitals in Odesa, despite the fact that the community has only about 42,000 residents.

Law enforcement officials suggest that this may indicate a deliberate overstatement of the number of patients treated.

In particular, more than 100 cases of entering data into the electronic healthcare system about people who died several weeks or months before allegedly receiving medical care were found.

It was also found that the hospital reported a significant number of operations to install artificial lenses: 812 in 2024, and 537 more in 2025 (through August). For comparison, regional medical institutions perform an average of about 300 such interventions annually.

At the same time, it turned out that the hospital did not purchase intraocular lenses in the required amount. Moreover, patients reported that they were forced to buy them on their own in private clinics, spending from 17 to 30 thousand hryvnias.

The investigation also found that payments for such transactions were made to the accounts of individual entrepreneurs who may be related to the scheme participants.

In addition, there were numerous cases of fictitious treatment - patients were registered as hospitalized only on paper, although in fact they were in other localities or even outside the country. According to preliminary estimates, the losses to the state may amount to about UAH 15 million.

As part of the case, law enforcement officers conducted searches at the residence of one of the suspects. During the investigation, they seized equipment, mobile devices and documents that may contain evidence.

The court recognized the seized property as evidence and as such that could be destroyed or altered, so it was seized. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and the suspects may face liability for misappropriation of budget funds in particularly large amounts.

Also in Odesa, a court seized property in a case of a scheme to issue fake medical documents to avoid mobilization. According to the investigation, doctors from both private and municipal medical institutions could have been involved.

Анна Бальчінос