Kyiv's Pechersk District Court extended the night house arrest of oncologist Maryna Bielotserkovska until December 24. Bielotserkovska worked at the scandalous Odesa clinic "Odrex," where local businessman Adnan Kivan died, UNN reports.
Details
Oncologist Maryna Bielotserkovska and Vitaliy Rusakov, head of the surgical department at "Odrex," are suspected of improper performance of professional duties, which led to the patient's death (Part 1, Article 140 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
During the hearing, the prosecution referred to the conclusions of the forensic medical examination, according to which the patient died of sepsis on October 27, 2024.
It should be noted that from May to October 2024, he was treated at the "Odrex" clinic by Maryna Bielotserkovska, and was also operated on by Viktor Rusakov. The oncologist, in particular, was in constant contact with the businessman's relatives and gave her recommendations regarding his further treatment.
As UNN previously reported, surgeon Vitaliy Rusakov did not prescribe antibiotics to the patient after the operation, which contributed to the development of sepsis. In addition, doctors did not react to the infection in time, and on the contrary, on the day of the patient's death, they assured his relatives that he did not have sepsis.
Therefore, the court extended Maryna Bielotserkovska's house arrest until December 24. She is prohibited from leaving home from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM. In addition, the suspect is obliged to wear an electronic bracelet.
It should be noted that Vitaliy Rusakov, by decision of the Kyiv Court of Appeal, is also under night house arrest. Such a preventive measure during the "curfew" in Ukrainian cities means that the court actually left both suspects in the patient's death case with the same restrictions that apply to all Ukrainians.
This, in particular, caused public outrage, which is further fueled by the behavior of the suspect Rusakov. For example, after the preventive measure was softened, Rusakov laughed and joked, and after the hearing, he posted a selfie with an electronic bracelet on social media. The families of the deceased patients called such actions a "cynical demonstration of disrespect" to all victims who died or experienced a significant deterioration in health due to "treatment" at Odrex.
New victims due to treatment at "Odrex"
Adnan Kivan's death became a turning point, after which other victims of "treatment" at the "Odrex" clinic dared to speak out. Their stories became the basis of the documentary film "Wasp's Nest," which showed the scale of what was happening within the clinic's walls.
Svitlana Huk, whose husband died at "Odrex," says that while he was in intensive care, the clinic issued bills for 80-90 thousand hryvnias daily. The woman suspects that her husband might have been kept on life support even after clinical death – but not for salvation, but to continue issuing bills. When the woman could no longer pay, she was directly offered to hand over the documents for the apartment so that the clinic's lawyers could quickly sell it. After her husband's death, the clinic, without stopping, sued her, demanding an additional 900 thousand hryvnias.
Another patient, Volodymyr, came to "Odrex" for an operation, during which he was likely infected with the bacterium Serratia Marcescens. This bacterium is transmitted through dirty hands or instruments. The clinic did not deny this, stating that "this is intensive care – you can catch anything here." Such a response may indicate that the staff understands that the intensive care unit in the clinic does not meet the stated standards, is not sterile, and that this is a systemic problem, not a one-time incident. The infection affected 85% of Volodymyr's lungs, he was put into a medical coma, and he lost 15 kg. Volodymyr's wife still repeats that her husband "miraculously survived this treatment."
Khrystyna Totkailo tells about her father, who, at the insistence of "Odrex" doctors, was prescribed aggressive chemotherapy, despite the warnings of Kyiv specialists. She recalls promises that "they will save his voice and larynx," and how her father returned home with almost no chance of survival. The aggressive treatment, in her opinion, not only did not help – it broke him.
Kateryna Boychuk recalls how she sent her mother to an "expensive clinic with a good reputation," and three weeks later picked up her body. Her mother underwent surgery, but the doctors, according to Kateryna, could never determine the diagnosis. Daily calls at night, confused explanations, endless sums in bills – and death. Kateryna says: "I trusted these doctors, and now I wouldn't even trust them with a cold prescription."
All these stories with different diagnoses, different circumstances, different people have one common feature – the feeling that the lives of patients at "Odrex" are valued much less than the money that can be obtained for "treatment." Victims and families of the deceased speak of medical errors, negligence, cynicism, but most of all – of the absence of elementary humanity.
While the investigation continues, more and more people are coming forward with new stories. And each of them sounds like new evidence that the problem is much deeper than individual doctors. The problem, it seems, lies in the very structure of the "Odrex" clinic, which allows such an attitude towards people, their health, and their lives.