The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal chaired a meeting on medical procurement related to the prevention of the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the provision of medical services to patients having coronavirus.

The meeting was attended by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilov, SBU Chairman Ivan Bakanov, Minister of Health of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov, Minister of Finance of Ukraine Serhii Marchenko, Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Petrashko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance, People's Deputy of Ukraine Mykhailo Radutsky, Director General of Medical Procurement of Ukraine Arsen Zhumadilov, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Heads of the Office of the President, MPs and others.

Opening the meeting, the Head of Government stressed that the priority in public procurement should be localization, i.e. first of all, goods manufactured in Ukraine should be purchased. The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Economic Development to provide a list of manufacturers of personal protective means, medicines and equipment. It is critical to ensure all requirements to producers are uniform, stressed the Head of Government.

Moreover, Denys Shmyhal gave an official instruction to organize laboratories that would be authorized to certify personal protective equipment.

"It is necessary to clearly determine that the provision of personal protective equipment should be guaranteed for three months. We want to form such a reserve in the hospitals on the front lines now," the Prime Minister concluded.

In turn, reporting on the progress of medical procurement, Health Minister Maxym Stepanov said that the program, adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 6 this year, provides for the allocation of about UAH 3 billion for the purchase of personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment, etc. "On Tuesday, the procurement procedure launches through the ProZorro system, but under an abridged procedure," the Minister stressed.