About us

The Department of Pediatrics № 1 and Neonatology (name since 2008) is one of the oldest departments of pediatrics in Ukraine. Its history dates back to 1892, when the first department of pediatrics was opened at Kharkiv University, headed by prof. M. Ponomarev. Later the heads of the department were prof. I. Troitsky (1902–1919), prof. Ya. Arkavin (1919–1929), prof. M. Frishman (1929–1944), prof. V. Belousov (1944–1965), prof. G. Dobrogaeva (1965–1972).
From 1972 to 2002 the department was headed by academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, honored worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, MD, prof. V. Prikhodko.
From 2002 to 2015, the department was headed by Doctor of Medicine, Professor G. Senatorova – student and follower of prof. V. Prikhodko.
Since 2015, the department is headed by Doctor of Medicine, Professor M. Gonchar – a student of prof. V. Prikhodko, prof. G. Senatorova, a follower of the traditions of the Kharkiv Pediatric School.

The Department of Pediatrics №1 and Neonatology provides educational work, which is carried out on 7 based clinic:
● teaching the main discipline “Pediatrics” and elective courses for domestic and international students of 5th and 6th years of I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII medical faculties (Ukrainian, English); educational programs:
● 1. For applicants for the second level of higher education, specialty “Pediatrics” (5th and 6th year)
● 2. For applicants for the second level of higher education, specialty “Medicine” (5th and 6th year)
● 3. Medical practice for the 5th year
● 4. Elective courses for the 5th year:
o “Actual questions of pediatric rheumatology”, ” Actual questions of pediatric gastroenterology”
● 5. Elective courses for 6th year:
“Endocrinology of development”, “Methods of functional diagnostics in the practice of a pediatrician”, “Practical issues of pediatric cardiology. Functional diagnostic methods in pediatrics”, “Fundamentals of evidence-based pulmonology and vaccination standards in pediatrics “, “Emergency care in pediatrics”, “Critical conditions in neonatology”, “Physiological and clinical nutrition of children of different ages. Basics of pediatric palliative care”
● Training of interns in the main areas: “Pediatrics”, “Neonatology”;
● Teaching of related cycles “Child Health” for interns in the specialty “General Practice – Family Medicine” and “Neonatology” for interns of “Obstetrics and Gynecology” specialty,
● 15 cycles of thematic improvement for pediatricians, neonatologists, pediatric cardiorheumatologists, pulmonologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, family doctors;
● Training of: Medicine Masters, Doctors of Philosophy, Doctor of Medical Sciences
● Scientific centers (SC) of KhNMU are created on the basis of the department educational: SC of perinatal and pediatric cardiology, SC of child development and palliative care, SC of interstitial and eponymous lung diseases in children, Endocrinology SC of development and weight correction in children:
● Implementation of the newest technologies of children diagnostics and treatment with various somatic pathology in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region.

On the basis of the department were created scientific centers of KhNMU: SC of perinatal and pediatric cardiology, SC of child development and palliative care, SC of interstitial and eponymous lung diseases in children, Endocrinology SC of development and weight correction in children.
The scientific activity of the department staff is focused on topical issues of modern pediatrics and the big aim is to improve the diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular disorders of newborns, children and adolescents in Kharkiv region on the basis of research on stratification of the most influential risk factors in pediatric population age;

Research work carried out at the department:
2014-2016 Stratification of cardiovascular risk factors in the pediatric population in Kharkiv region – the number of examined children – 1178.
2017-2019 Stratification of cardiovascular risk factors of newborns and young children in Kharkiv region – number of examined children -1102.
2020-2022 Stratification of cardio-respiratory risk in children with somatic pathology of Kharkiv region – number of examined children – 20 (continue)
2019-2020 Assessment of the current nutritional status, nutrition-related health problems, nutrition-related health problems of school-aged children in Ukraine » – priority funding T. Chaichenko, M. Gonchar.
Educational and scientific centers:
• SC of perinatal and pediatric cardiology
● SC of child development and palliative care
● SC of interstitial and eponymous lung diseases in children
● SC of endocrinology of development and weight correction in children

Doctors of the department and basic clinics – pupils of the Kharkiv pediatric school together solve complex medical-diagnostic and scientific problems at the highest level. Clinical bases and their equipment allow to carry out educational process at the modern level. Employees of the department for 2015-2020 treated 9420 children and consulted 23,700 children. 635 implementations were submitted to the practical level of health care.
Employees of the department supervise 5 districts of Kharkiv region, where medical, methodical, sanitary-educational works are carried out medical workers as well as the population. The department is a base for the introduction of the latest technologies for diagnosis and treatment of children with various somatic pathologies in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region.

International and industry recognition of the department is represented by the results of research, which are implemented: reports – 115 forums (30 of them international), 121 articles (10 of them international), 150 theses (21 of them international), utility model patent – 6, invention patent -1, certificate of authorship – 1.
Every year, employees receive grants for study and internships abroad: Austria (Open Medical Institute, University Clinic of Vienna), Great Britain (University of Cambridge, University of Cardiff); Spain (University of Barcelona Clinic); Kingdom of the Netherlands (Hagia Sophia Clinic, Erasmus University Rotterdam); Italy (children’s palliative clinic); Germany (Children’s Hospital of St. Augustine “Asclepius”).
During the current 5 years, the staff of the Department of Pediatrics № 1 and neonatology took part in international congresses, conferences and congresses: Berlin, Ulm, Frankfurt, Munich (Germany), Athens (Greece), Nice, Paris (France), Stockholm (Sweden), Barcelona (Spain), Glasgow, London (Great Britain), Porto (Portugal), Rotterdam (Holland) and others.
Membership in international organizations
• HealthProm, United Kingdom
• The European Society of Cardiology
• Acute cardiovascular care association (ACCA).
• Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care
• European respiratory society
• European Association of Pediatric Endocrinologists (ESPE)
• ESPE obesity working group
• Ukrainian-German Medical Association
• The Association for European Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology
• European Academy of Pediatrics
• Acute cardiovascular care association
• European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• American Academy Pediatrics
• Israeli Doctors Association
Clinical internships of the department staff
Long-term programs:
• Children’s Hospice Rainbows, London, Great Britain (Prof. O. Riga), 2016
• AKN University Clinic, Vienna, Austria (Prof. T. Chaichenko), 2016
• Hagia Sophia Clinic, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Kingdom of the Netherlands (Prof. O.Riga), 2014
• Cardiff University University Clinic, Cardiff, Great Britain (Prof. T. Chaichenko), 2010
• Mevlana Exchange program for Academic stuff, Antalya, Turkey (Prof. T. Chaichenko), 2016
• Alin Rehabilitation Center, Israel, 2015 (Prof. O. Riga)

Postgraduate education of doctors at the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology began in 2009 and today includes 15 cycles of thematic improvement, covering current issues of pediatrics and neonatology for pediatricians, neonatologists, pediatric cardiorheumatologists, pulmonologists, endocrinologists, endocrinologists;
The main directions of cycles of thematic improvement: pediatric cardiology, pediatric pediatric cardiorheumatology, pediatric hematology, pediatric pulmonology, pediatric gastroenterology, emergencies in pediatrics, palliative care, immunoprophylaxis, functional research methods.