Nesehnutí has launched a new fundraising campaign as part of the ‘Sun for Ukraine’ initiative, aiming to raise CZK 700,000 for the installation of a solar power plant on the roof of St. Luke’s Hospital in Lviv, which will ensure a stable supply of electricity to the hospital and allow it to save lives even during outages.
St. Luke’s Hospital is one of the largest medical facilities in the city, performing over 10,000 surgeries and treating more than 30,000 patients annually. However, its operations are at risk due to repeated power outages caused by Russian bombing.
“Since the beginning of the invasion, the number of patients in our hospital has practically doubled,” says hospital director Vasyl Trunkvalter. “This means not only greater demands on staff, but also great demands on energy supplies. Diesel generators are working, but they are very expensive to operate. The solar power plant will allow us to ensure uninterrupted operation even during power outages, and at the same time invest the saved funds in better quality care for the wounded.”
With a capacity of 450 beds and 15 departments, the hospital provides specialized care to more than 30,000 patients a year, including people with strokes, burns, severe surgical conditions, and serious cardiovascular diseases. Since the beginning of the war, it has also been treating war veterans. To ensure comprehensive health care, the continuous operation of diagnostic units, operating rooms, intensive care units, oxygen stations, and other key infrastructure is essential.
“Photovoltaic power plants can supply energy for another 20 years, so this is not just a temporary solution,” said Alžběta Kofránková, coordinator of the Sun for Ukraine initiative. “We want to contribute to the sustainable recovery of the country, because we believe that thanks to smart green solutions, Ukraine can become an example of good practice for the whole world.”
One of the patients at St. Luke’s Hospital is seven-year-old Romchik, who was one of the 202 injured in the brutal Russian missile attack on Vinnytsia. On the day of the attack, his mother took him to a clinic for a routine medical check-up – almost everyone who was there at the time died, including her. Romchik survived, but suffered severe burns to 45% of his body surface, including his respiratory tract. He was taken into care by a hospital in Lviv, which provided him with comprehensive treatment, including intensive care. Romchik’s story shows how crucial it is for hospitals to have uninterrupted access to electricity – without it, saving lives like Romchik’s would not be possible.
Thanks to the Sun for Ukraine initiative, which involved hundreds of donors from the Czech public and the private sector, 12 Ukrainian cities have already been equipped with material or financial donations since 2023. New solar power plants are now supplying electricity to the hospital in Kolomyia, the St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv, and the Children’s Hospital in Zaporozhye.
The Sun for Ukraine initiative is organized in cooperation with the Ukrainian non-governmental ecological organization Ecoclub Rivne. More information about the collection for St. Luke’s Hospital can be found at www.slunceproukrajinu.cz or on the Darujme.cz portal.
