Shock therapy in the Odessa resort

Zero

Tourism

The famous and once-prosperous resort of Odessa “Kuyalnik” is currently in decline because of the theft and the criminal actions of the previous administration, which during his tenure were thinking only about their own interests and not about the development of the resort. The correspondent of the UNIAN visited the health resort of the state value and find out to what state the previous Manager brought the sanatorium, in what circumstances are forced to accommodate visitors, and as the new management of the resort intends to return to the pearl at the black sea estuary of the lost greatness.

Odessa resort “Kuyalnik” / photo UNIAN

Health tourism in Ukraine is not losing popularity. Every year, thousands of our compatriots visit the resort, which offer visitors a variety of medical procedures for every taste and budget. But the approach to the choice of the resort should be responsibly, because sometimes the reality differs significantly from the photo on the advertising brochure, and the effect of treatment may come to naught because of the indifference of the staff, the inhuman living conditions and unsanitary conditions.

Until recently this was the situation in one of the most famous domestic resorts, which in Soviet times was considered to be a real “pearl” of Odessa, but for the last twenty years have declined because of the irresponsible approach of the sanatorium “Kuyalnik”, located on the shores of Kuyalnik Liman. It is there to audit headed a group of Ukrainian journalists, among whom, of course, was to UNIAN.

The monument to the Soviet past

Heard that the resort is in disrepair, we with colleagues initially understood that we were going for a classic Soviet resort – type with its typical monolithic dilapidated buildings, walls of which keep a lot of memory, lack of full medical centre and recreational infrastructure. However, arriving at the place, realized that the situation is worse than we thought.

Leaving the car on arrival at the health resort territory, I wondered: “And this is exactly our final destination, not a stopover?”. The territory of the sanatorium has been completely neglected, the buildings in poor condition, and even in the proud name of the sanatorium, emblazoned on the roof of a fifteen storey building – in the best traditions of the Soviet Union – is missing two letters. Like the icing on the cake.

Resigned to reality and realized the perishability of life, my colleagues and I went to the receptionist for the room keys, which, presumably, had to spend the next two nights. After forty minutes of waiting, filled with rudeness and shouting fat middle-aged ladies sitting behind the counter, the journalists went to his room, anticipating the opportunity to relax at least for a short time after a tiring road. And although the rest of us and failed, the effect of first acquaintance with the rooms exceeded all expectations – from the seen fatigue vanished! But the sadness came flooding back.

The peeling walls, cracked ceiling, dirty bed linen and towels, bathroom with shower, make which can only be squatting, wooden Windows with slits for loose fitting glass balcony in poor condition – only a partial list of what we had to face.

The only pleasant sight was the view from the window. From the thirteenth floor offers breathtaking views of the kuyalnitsky estuary, from which is extracted the curative mud, and the sea. But here the impression was spoiled by the alarm condition common to all of the guests on the floor of the balcony.

Emergency balcony of the sanatorium “Kuyalnik” / photo UNIAN

The rate in this class room “standard superior” – 830 UAH per day per person (at the same time, a room designed for two, and, consequently, its full cost – 1660 UAH). This price includes food and reception medical procedures.

Also, visitors can stay in rooms of class “standard premium” for 1500 UAH per person, “Junior one bedroom” – 1300 UAH, “Junior Studio” – 1330 UAH. Vouchers for one person for accommodation in rooms of class “economy” subject to the intrusion of a neighbor – 600 UAH. However, as most budget accommodation to journalists have not shown due to lack of time, because until the management of the resort will not hold in the health resort capital repair and live in them I strongly suggest.

In addition, in the sanatorium there are special rooms for disabled people in wheelchairs for 750 UAH per day for the patient and an additional 500 UAH for accompanying.

Of three fifteen storey buildings located throughout the resort and is designed for simultaneous accommodation of three thousand people, there are only two, and comparable numbers in them, as we later found out to be significantly different. Journalists were accommodated in the first housing, half of which is in disrepair and therefore closed. The rooms in this building are not seen repairs, it seems, since the collapse of the Union and are considered the worst in the sanatorium of the existing. In the second case the situation is a little better in the rooms has been redecorated, and they look very passable. But at the same time, the cost of living in rooms of the same class in both cases are the same, despite their difference in appearance.

In response to the question, what caused this injustice, the Deputy Director of resort Stanislav Zablocki, graciously conducted a tour for journalists, said that the pricing policy was established by the previous management, but because current managers cannot make adjustments to it until the end of the hot season, and will not fall influx of tourists.

“We are already working on the prices which we have. And with the new year, we will determine a new pricing policy,” he said.

Also Zablocki explained why the journalists were put in the worst rooms of shown. The reason was prosaic – the other rooms were already occupied by vacationers. This version sounded, no doubt, nicer than the original speculation about the frugality of the management of the resort.

By the way, in the proposed conditions, I hardly spent the night one night of the two planned away the next day in a rented apartment in the center of Odessa.

Lost grandeur

However, in this state, “Kuyalnik” was not always the case. About the healing properties of mineral waters and muds, lying at the bottom of the kuyalnitsky estuary, was known a few centuries ago. Active use of these gifts of nature in medicine and the birth of the resort connected with the name of Dr. Erast St. Andrew’s, which in the nineteenth century managed to convince local authorities of the need for the construction at the site of medical institution.

View gryazolechebnitsa, which in those days was considered the most beautiful in the whole Empire, was built in the years 1890-1892. By the way, functioning part of this building so far. Despite the fact that the building is not restored and presently is in a dilapidated condition, it remains the most interesting and beautiful object in the entire resort.

According to doctors, balneology, over the years of functioning of the health resort, thanks to the unique properties of mud from the estuary and healing mineral water, tens of thousands of people from Ukraine and many other countries got rid of problems of musculoskeletal apparatus, genitourinary and nervous systems, skin diseases and many other diseases.

Among the procedures which the hotel offers its guests, mud and mineral baths, therapeutic pool with ROP, the underwater stretching the spine and extremities, massage, physiotherapy, therapeutic physical training, psychotherapy and more.

Every year, despite the decadent state sanatorium, it’s jammed with people by the eyeballs. Particularly popular resort among wheelchair users.

Visitors to the sanatorium “Kuyalnik” / photo UNIAN

From year to year, they return to the resort in order to make the favorite treatments that have a beneficial effect on their health.

Especially popular sanatorium “Kuyalnik” among wheelchairs / photo UNIAN

Since the annexation of Crimea and the loss of the sanatorium in Saki, “Kuyalnik”, similar to Slavic resort in the Donetsk region, was primarily specialize in the service of the people, enchained in motion. Here they make new friends and feel at home in a close minded environment. During my stay in the “Kuyalnik” one of the most spectacular sights was the dance of a pair of wheelchairs who with such enthusiasm and a twinkle in his eyes circling to the beat of the music, that healthy people ought to learn their vitality and ability to not bend under the weight of circumstances.

The fish rots from the head

Comparing the two is similar in profile sanatorium – seaside “Kuyalnik”, which is always crowded, and there are all conditions for further development, and the “Slavic resort”, post-capture Russian rebels, shelling buildings and still partly is the basis of the Ukrainian military, Donetsk sanatorium benefits significantly. The main reason lies in management. “Slavic resort” tirelessly fighting with the local authorities for preservation of the territory, attracting investments for rehabilitation of the damage and, despite all the difficulties, friendly opens its doors to guests, providing them with the highest quality service which it is capable of, whereas the former leadership “Kuyalnik” for a long time plundered the resort, thinking only about their own profit, not asset development.

“Last fall we conducted an independent test of the sanatorium, which found an extremely large abuses committed by the then leadership. For example, in four days alone check the flow of funds in the balance sheet increased by almost one million hryvnias! When the scan is left, the amount is again decreased significantly. After analyzing the situation, in December, we started the procedure of dismissal of the Director, which lasted about 3-4 months”, – told reporters Vladimir Sayenko, the head of the Supervisory Board and the Deputy head of the Federation of trade unions of Ukraine, on which balance listed, including the Odessa health resort..

As it turned out later in communication with the former employee of Federation of trade unions, who wished not to disclose his name, check “Kuyalnik”, in which he took part, more like a fighter than the standard procedure of auditing.

“When, during our audit in November, the then management of the resort found that we learned a lot of unnecessary information, we decided to kick all sorts of ways. Came even before that, during lunch, we were poisoned. One of the members of the group refused to eat in the resort, mindful of the fact that once upon a time seen in the plate of the cockroach, and only it felt good, and the rest took some scones with compote and took a shot. About 20 minutes after eating, I felt that “floated”, melted like ice. Body cowards, I felt a strange weakness, could not even hold a phone in his hands. Another reviewer after our lunch it got worse, he spent three hours lying under a dropper. In addition, we were threatened that if we don’t go tomorrow we will show the news in the context that something happened. As one of the options to explode the car,” said the source details from which the blood run cold.

At that time the head of the resort were Araik Poghosyan, who, as head of “Kuyalnik” in 2011, quickly brought their own rules. At the annual full load of the resort, is now designed to simultaneously accommodate a thousand people, he claimed that the sanatorium is located on the edge of survival and perhaps unprofitable.

And even after a final decision about the dismissal of the Director, Pogosyan refused to accept defeat with dignity, and… caught tuberculosis and went to the hospital, by configuring the part of the staff of the sanatorium against the new leadership and promising soon to return to the same post, thus all the truths and untruths trying to keep access to the trough. It is not surprising, because, according to the Deputy head of the Federation of trade unions Saenko annually in his pocket Pogosyan was not less than twenty million hryvnias hidden profits.

This separation of the band into two camps, the journalists felt. Some of the workers were polite and smiling, while others either avoided the press or rude, or asking strange questions with the aim to further use this information for their own purposes.

For example, one of the cleaning ladies heard my roommate talk about the horrific state of the body, began to gently clarify who we write for, and ask for our business cards. The obvious question: “Why?” – the answer has followed: “in order to be able to contact you. We now have these changes. You never know what will happen.”

On the question of whether she likes the new management, the woman shook her head.

By the way, the new head of “Kuyalnik” appointed a former military man, Colonel – Alexander Nakornchaisri. He heads the sanatorium of July, but has seen little progress in the local way of life.

The first thing the new Director of the resort introduced a new system of food at the buffet, thereby making daily ration of tourists more variety. He also initiated the gradual renovation of the rooms over a month, the management has commissioned more than sixty rooms, which were previously mothballed. At the end of the hot summer season, the management of the complex promises to take up the cleaning staff, dismissing some of the staff who prefer to quality performance of their duties sabotage.

Nakornchaisri says, on these steps of the new management won’t stop. And the plans for the reconstruction of the resort and really big.

According to Saenko, in the near future the resort will have about 20-25 million UAH to improve the quality of care and treatment. In addition, now ready investment project to attract 150 million hryvnia, which will focus primarily on the restoration of the preserved of the third building of the sanatorium, designed for a thousand guests and staying in a dilapidated condition.

To judge how well the new management of the complex will handle his responsibilities until the earlier conclusions should be made based on the results and not promises. However, the light at the end of the tunnel is already visible. Because visiting the resort with the audit next time, I’d love to see a modern, clean sanatorium European level, because the potential it does have, but not depressing piece of junk, which, unfortunately, “Kuyalnik” is currently.

Hope Burbela

Shock therapy in the Odessa resort

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