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Jan 2014 back issue
by Maxim Dondyuk
All too often we are used to seeing indifferent, hungry for profit doctors or those who prefer to do as little as possible
and sit in their comfortable offices. They care more about the money in your pocket than your recovery. And if you
don't have enough money in your pocket, then don't even try to visit.
Nicholay Sirosh belongs to another category of doctors. He is completely indifferent to money, because he knows that
his fellow villagers don't have any. He lives in the little Ukrainian village of Slobodka (Zhytomyr region). The state
ceased to worry about the health of Slobodka's residences long ago, allocating just $1 a month per person.
The work of this country doctor is multi-faceted. He is a paediatrician, surgeon, traumatologist and a birth attendant.
Beside him works his faithful assistant and wife, Nadezhda Sirosh. They met while Nadezhda was still studying at
school. After she had completed medical school they both returned together to run a small medical practice in the
village.
Having been a doctor for over 49 years, the line between Nicholy's work and leisure has been blurred. Without any
embarrassment, patients arrive at his house at all times of day and night. Nicholy frequently finds himself diagnosing
patients as he sits at the dinner table. The families that come to him know that he doesn't make mistakes and that
they can trust him implicitly.
These images were taken on Nicholay Sirosh's last day as a doctor, before his retirement. It seemed as though a
question mark and a fear hung over the village. For 49 years, every citizen of Slobidka knew that they could call on
an experienced doctor, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Now they can only guess what will happen next.
Text by Irina Kolomyets
Original report: Maxim Dondyuk for Reporter Magazine
A husband and wife team.
