A new treatment facility with speleotherapy was established in Ostrov u Macochy for 218 million for children

Ostrov u Macochy - In Ostrov u Macochy in the Blanensko region, a new children's treatment facility with speleotherapy has been officially opened today. It cost 218 million crowns. It will serve children aged three to 18 who suffer from conditions such as asthma, respiratory tract inflammation, atopic eczema, or allergies. It replaces an old building after nearly 40 years. It will offer up to three times the capacity, 78 places, for children and their companions for the youngest ones. The facility uses the climate of the Císařská cave, where there is an allergen-free environment. The first patients are expected in March.

The region also utilized a loan from the European Investment Bank for the construction. "The project has a regional significance. I would like to thank the former leadership, as this is not a project that you plan and implement in two years; we have just continued it," said Governor Jan Grolich (KDU-ČSL). The project was initiated by the former coalition led by the ANO movement.

Children come to the facility for a four-week stay. They spend two to three hours daily in the cave engaged in active training and rest, while the rest of the time the space is so-called cleaned. "The karst cave that helps children is a gift we received from nature. We are adding new facilities that we are inaugurating today. There are modern buildings with new equipment, a school, a pool with French windows and a view of the countryside, and a relaxation zone around the treatment facility with a children's playground," Grolich listed. The building and spaces are predominantly white to not disrupt the karst environment and blend into the surroundings.

During their nearly month-long stay, children also learn in the area. "There is a separate school within the facility with four classes. This is a novelty, as previously children had to switch to lessons at the local primary school. We also have a pilot position of an animator to support activities," said the governor's deputy Jiří Nantl (ODS). The facility includes a dining and rehabilitation section, with a sauna, a dry mist room, and a gym alongside the pool. The healthcare section features a clinic, examination room, isolation for sick patients, and a nurses' room. The operational spaces have changing rooms, a drying room for sleeping bags, facilities, and storage.

The new treatment facility will replace the old one. "It has been 40 years since the provisional building was constructed, where children with chronic illnesses would come for three to four weeks. They would go to the cave, and it was research to prove the cave's influence on children's health. This was successful, and in 1985, speleotherapy was recognized as a treatment method. We are pleased that we are now moving from a provisional building to a new and beautiful one,” said Kateřina Bednaříková, director of the South Moravian Children's Treatment Facilities.

The project received second place in the category of Best Project in Public Procurement, the Neplejtvák 2021 award, and gold in the Smart Cities competition 2021.