Building a Healthier Future for Ukraine
Summary
In 2023, Sunflower Network committed to building a WHO-standard hospital in Brody, Ukraine. This initiative, Project Horizon, is the first public-private-partnership to build healthcare infrastructure in Ukraine since the start of the war. A dedicated team of 400 doctors and nurses in Brody struggle valiantly to care for their patients despite being under-resourced and impeded by outdated medical infrastructure. Sunflower Network, in partnership with the Brody municipality, Brody hospital, and a global coalition of real estate, design, and healthcare experts will build a modern “cluster” facility that aligns with Ministry of Health reform efforts and unlocks increased state funding for operations. Project Horizon will serve an immediate population of 150,000 in addition to regional and transitory populations, all while creating a blueprint for how to transition Ukraine’s healthcare infrastructure from its Soviet-era past into a modern, WHO-aligned future.
Approach
Through Project Horizon, Sunflower Network and its partners will design and construct a WHO-standard healthcare facility on the current campus of Brody Central District Hospital. The facility, while narrow in scope, will have a widespread impact in improving healthcare outcomes, stimulating economic activity, and creating a roadmap ​​for liberating Ukraine’s healthcare infrastructure from its Soviet past. Project Horizon will design a “cluster facility” that will consolidate care functions in Brody in alignment with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health’s strategic reform policy. The hospital’s operations are currently funded through the municipal budget; upon receiving “cluster designation,” Project Horizon will receive increased state funding for facility operations. Creating a WHO-standard medical environment will unlock increased capacity for operations, empowering Brody Central District Hospital’s dedicated team of 400 doctors and nurses to provide greater care to patients.
Sunflower Network will execute Project Horizon by leveraging a coalition of global partners to empower a local implementation team. This coalition is anchored in Ukraine by the Mayor of Brody and Brody Central District Hospital, and globally by Sunflower Network. It is supported by The World Health Organization, UCLA Health, Cannon Design, and Baker Botts. Global experts like the WHO, UCLA Health and Cannon Design will consult the local implementation team, led by CBM Forum and Savitskyy Design, on facility design and operation. Baker Botts and UkraineInvest, Ukraine’s foreign investment corporation dedicated to facilitating smooth and anti-corrupt foreign investment, will help navigate Ukrainian political dynamics.
​​​Set to break ground in March 2024, Project Horizon will begin treating patients in Q1 2025, serving an immediate population of 150,000, a neighboring population of over 5 million Ukrainians, and creating a blueprint for wholesale transformation of Ukraine’s healthcare infrastructure.
Action Plan
Phase 1: Pre-Construction (Start Date: September 2023, Duration: 6 months) Project Preparation
Conduct in-depth analysis of the site, evaluating feasibility based on cost, environmental impact, and zoning regulations
Project Initiation
Preparation of Design Responsibility Matrix;
Create and sign the Project Statute, where all rules of mutual communication, procurements, documents, reports, control and responsibility are mentioned;
Define the project scope, objectives, and key deliverables
Concept Design
Preparation of Medical Tasks identifying the departments including their spatial/technical requirements and interrelationships;
Develop comprehensive hospital layout;
Prepare preliminary cost plan
Preliminary and Detailed Design
Prepare detailed drawings and specifications package recording building elements, fit out, and medical equipment;
Develop a detailed list of required construction materials, medical equipment, and furnishings (BOQ) Permitting
Obtain necessary permits and regulatory approvals
Phase 2: Tender and Procurement Process (Start Date: February 2024, Duration: 1 month) Prepare tender documents outlining project specs, requirements, and evaluation criteria;
Evaluate and award bids based on cost, quality, experience, and proposed timelines
Phase 3: Construction (Start Date: March 2024, Duration: 10 months) Site Preparation and Foundation
Clear the chosen site, ensuring proper removal of debris and vegetation, and begin excavation for the foundation
Building Construction
Conduct regular inspections and quality checks throughout the construction process to ensure adherence to design specifications and timelines
Technology Integration
Collaborate with medical equipment suppliers to install advanced medical technology
Establish a robust IT infrastructure for cybersecurity, EHR, telemedicine capabilities, and communication systems
Interior Design and Furnishing
Engage interior designers to create a soothing and patient-centric environment within the hospital
Background
After over 500 days of war, the people of Ukraine stand tall with dignity while carrying a heavy burden of pain. The war between Russia and Ukraine, initially perceived as a brief crisis, is now a prolonged catastrophe with lasting impact. Russia’s invasion has claimed 30,000 civilian lives, displaced 11 million individuals, and pushed 8 million Ukrainians into poverty. A staggering $136 billion worth of homes and civilian infrastructure have been destroyed, including over 1,000 healthcare facilities, the highest number recorded in any humanitarian emergency. Many Ukrainians seek refuge in the country’s comparatively safe Western regions. This surge in population strains local healthcare systems that are struggling to meet patient needs due to lack of resources and insufficient infrastructure.
The city of Brody is one such community grappling with limited resources while trying to heal an influx of civilians and defenders. Strategically located along the Kyiv-to-Europe highway (E40) and equidistant from major population centers in Western Ukraine, Brody Central District Hospital is hampered by its outdated Soviet-era healthcare infrastructure. The hospital’s dedicated staff of 400 doctors and nurses care for patients across a campus of six buildings constructed in the 1930s. These buildings lack the most basic necessities, including elevators, insulation, and adequate plumbing. Yet the dedication of Brody’s medical staff remains steadfast; they run between dilapidated buildings, carrying the sick up and down stairs to create a healthier future.
As the international community collectively envisions a healthier future for Ukraine, it’s imperative for global leaders to collaborate and provide local leadership with the necessary foundation upon which to build. This foundation should not only sustain access to essential care but also empower communities to thrive. Central to this vision is resilient, efficient, and high-quality healthcare infrastructure.
Progress Update
After 21 months of work and $1.6 million in predevelopment investment, Sunflower Network (SFN) stands on the brink of delivering a fully operational pediatric hospital in Brody, Ukraine. The final hurdle is closing a $1.75 million funding gap needed to execute a modular construction contract with our fabrication partner in Poland. We’ve already raised half of the total required, leaving $1.75 million remaining to move forward. This contract will authorize the fabrication, transportation, and assembly of modular units to complete the hospital. In March, our leadership team traveled to the factory in Poland to finalize the project budget. This milestone is the result of deep collaboration with our Ukraine-based partners—including our technical project manager, structural engineers, medical technologists, legal counsel, and the local municipality—as well as international advisors who supported architectural design, regulatory planning, and execution logistics. Together, we have developed a comprehensive execution roadmap, completed architectural and engineering plans, and secured statutory approval from Ukraine’s Ministry of Health. We’ve also finalized a legal framework ensuring full compliance with Ukrainian, Polish, and international regulations. This includes cross-border customs and transport of modular assets, adherence to local labor laws, and tax-efficient structuring to maximize humanitarian impact. The final step is executing the modular fabrication agreement. Once signed, the local municipality will invest its own funds to prepare the site—clearing land, installing utilities, and creating access routes—within 30 days. Site readiness will then be verified by our technical project manager. This moment represents the culmination of nearly two years of coordinated effort across borders, sectors, and disciplines. All that remains is funding the final $1.75 million to begin construction. The path is clear, the design is done, the contracts are ready—now we need to close the gap and build.
Partnership Opportunities
Sunflower Network is seeking the following, in order of priority:
Financial partner:
$6 million for Phase I, construction of the physical infrastructure;
$4 million for Phase II, to outfit hospital with supplies and medical equipment
Media partner:
Sunflower Network seeks help sharing this story with the world;
In addition to its on the ground impact, this project will inspire and galvanize the business communities and a younger generation to seek to make a difference;
Sunflower Network seeks help sharing this story with the world
Academic/institutional partner:
Codify this project into white paper/blueprint;
Create roadmap to scalability;
Partner on larger reconstruction effort
Medical partner:
Exchange best practices once hospital is operational in order to maintain best-in-class care;
Partner institution in the US,Sunflower Network is offering partners the opportunity to join a global coalition in building a healthier future for Ukraine by executing the first public-private partnership to build healthcare infrastructure in Ukraine since the start of the war:
Public Partnership:
Memoranda of Understand with Brody Municipality, Brody Central District Hospital, and UkraineInvest;
Brody Municipality committing $1M in a first-loss position towards construction of facility;
Staff of 400 dedicated doctors/nurses; operational funding from municipal budget;
Land transferred to into legal vehicle for development
Local design team:
CBM Forum (project manager) ;
Savitskyy Design (architect) ;
Avellum and Asters (legal) Global implementation and expertise partners:
World Health Organization (global health) Cannon Design (architecture) ;
UCLA health (medical care) ;
Baker and Botts (legal)