24.06.2024 Kharkiv Tenders Utility scams

Kharkiv Polyclinic Spent UAH 11 Million on Overpriced Repairs

The healthcare sector in frontline Kharkiv is particularly painful. Instead of purchasing new equipment, improving patient conditions, and improving the provision of medical services, local specialized municipal institutions choose to buy clothes, shoes, and expensive flowerpots at a much higher price. 

How Polyclinic № 24 bought T-shirts for UAH 5 thousand each

Last summer, it became known that the Municipal Non-Commercial Enterprise “City Polyclinic No. 24” of the Kharkiv City Council had entered into several agreements, in particular: the purchase of four Polo T-shirts for UAH 5184 (three XXL and one XL) each. At the same time, the market value of such T-shirts ranged from UAH 400 to a maximum of UAH 2000. The contract was concluded with Artem Klymenko, a private entrepreneur. It was not the first time this entrepreneur made strange purchases for the clinic. Over the entire period of cooperation, Polyclinic No. 24 paid Artem Klymenko more than ten million hryvnias under 578 contracts.

This individual entrepreneur almost never enters into contracts with other entities through the Prozorro system. It is important to note that the agreements are concluded without bidding, i.e. the clinic chooses this entrepreneur and agrees to his prices.

On June 10, 2022, green moss with an area of 2.2 square meters was purchased for almost UAH 50 thousand. However, Scandinavian Jagiela moss could have been purchased at a price of UAH 4000 per square meter. In addition, the clinic bought a flower in a flowerpot for UAH 18,850 from individual entrepreneur Vsevolod Zubar. In addition to the flower in a flowerpot, two flowers of different heights were purchased: Sansevieria Laurentii d27/h105 for UAH 3900 each and Sansevieria Laurentii d14/h50 for UAH 1600.

Why does an ordinary Kharkiv clinic need such expensive flowers and branded T-shirts? According to a representative of the institution, the items were purchased for the doctors. Perhaps the items were indeed necessary for the representatives of the medical institution, but the overpayment is obvious. So where did the rest go?

After these facts were made public, the head of the medical institution, Maksym Babak, was suspended and ordered to undergo a procurement audit, but in fact he continues to run the clinic.

Overhaul of the Polyclinic for UAH 11 million

A year after the first scandalous procurement, Kharkiv Polyclinic No. 14 announced new ones – this time in terms of capital repairs. 

City Polyclinic № 24 signed two contracts for the repair of the fifth floor for a total of over UAH 10 million. After signing the contract, the polyclinic entered into an additional agreement that reduced the cost of the repair by half a million hryvnias.

According to the results of the bidding, the contract for the repair of the right wing was awarded to Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zaitsev (worth UAH 6.46 million), and the contract for the repair of the left wing worth UAH 4.51 million was awarded to Yulia Mykhailivna Reznik. 

The individual entrepreneur Zaitsev submitted an estimate that provided for the purchase of 250 thousand dowels (fasteners) worth more than half a million hryvnias. This amount is indicated both in the statement of resources and in local estimates for the work.

There are two possible explanations: either a mistake by the estimator or an attempt by the contractor to overestimate the cost of the work by at least half a million hryvnias. After all, the number of dowels in the estimate for the repair of part of the fourth floor and the second wing of the fifth floor is one hundred times less.

The price of a single dowel is also overpriced – in construction stores they cost 1.1-1.5 hryvnias per piece. Usually, a pack of one hundred pieces is sold for 100 hryvnias.

Zaitsev estimated the cost of a thresholdless metal-plastic block measuring 900×1200 at UAH 14,742, while in the contract signed by the clinic at the beginning of the year, such blocks cost less than UAH 8,000. Also, compared to the beginning of the year, the price of washbasin faucets has risen from UAH 1500 to UAH 2500 per unit.

In both estimates, the cost of linoleum is about UAH 700 per square meter, which is one and a half times higher than the average price. 

As for the Armstrong ceiling tiles, Yulia Reznik’s cost per square meter is UAH 600, and Zaitsev’s is UAH 833 per square meter. At the same time, the estimates include specific BIOGUARD ACOUSTIC tiles. For example, in the Atlant store, the cost per square meter of these boards is UAH 522.

Both contractors have double the price of the electric wire. They plan to pay UAH 65 per linear meter for a product that costs UAH 28 per meter in the Epicenter store. Both contractors specified a self-leveling mixture in their estimates with a price that is three times higher than the store price. In the store, it costs UAH 14.4 per kilogram, while in the estimate it is listed at UAH 41.17 per kilogram.

So why overpay for a waste of the budget? I wonder how the newly appointed director of the Health Department of the Kharkiv City Council, Igor Kulik, will comment on the situation?

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