Draft Government Action Plan presented: key priorities in healthcare
On Monday, 18 August, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and the Cabinet of Ministers presented the Draft Government Action Plan, outlining proposals across key government policy areas. The presentation was attended by MPs, relevant civil society organisations, experts, and think tanks.
“The Draft Government Action Plan sets the benchmarks to help us endure the war and progress afterwards. We’re focusing resources on actions with the greatest impact. This flexible approach allows us to respond swiftly to changes, work cohesively and efficiently, use resources rationally, and lay the foundation for long-term change,” said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Minister of Health Viktor Liashko presented the key priorities in the healthcare sector.
“Our strategic goal is high-quality, accessible, and free medical care for every Ukrainian. People are the state’s greatest asset, and health is the foundation of everything: the economy, security, development, and resilience of the country. Today, we operate under the unprecedented challenges of a full-scale war, which tests the strength of our healthcare system daily. Yet, even in these conditions, we are not halting progress – we are building modern, high-quality medicine based on cutting-edge approaches and international experience. Alongside addressing war-related challenges, we are advancing areas that shape the future: rehabilitation, mental health, primary care development, digitalisation, and hospital network modernisation. These are investments in Ukrainians’ longevity, their ability to recover, work, and live fulfilling lives. We recognise the demographic situation and the risks it poses to the country. Our task is to preserve people’s health. However, we must clearly understand that the healthcare system is, above all, a system. It works when all its components – from state policy to local implementation – function effectively. That’s why all Government initiatives must be implemented efficiently and effectively in communities under decentralisation, as that’s where people receive care, where the results of our policies are visible, and where issues are identified that we must address systematically and promptly,” said Minister of Health Viktor Liashko.
Among the priorities is infrastructure development. Currently, 160 healthcare projects worth approximately UAH 20 billion are being implemented nationwide, creating modern, comfortable conditions for patients and medical staff. By year-end, 14 projects are slated for completion, including new hospital buildings in Irpin, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Kropyvnytskyi, and the restoration of medical facilities in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.
Particular attention is given to enhancing social protection for medical professionals. Efforts are underway to revise the capitation rate for family doctors and emergency medical services, targeting a baseline salary of UAH 35,000 for doctors.
Since 13 August, the first package of a comprehensive Government programme to support frontline regions has been launched, providing additional payments to medical facilities in sparsely populated communities and combat zones. For primary care in rural and remote areas, a 1.2 coefficient to the base capitation rate has been introduced, increasing funding by 20% per patient. For emergency care, coefficients have significantly increased – to 1.48 in areas of potential combat and 6.01 in active combat zones. This ensures adequate funding for medical facilities in rural and remote areas, guaranteeing quality care for residents.
Additional initiatives support young doctors. Starting in 2025, medical interns signing at least a three-year contract to work in rural or frontline areas can receive a one-time state grant of UAH 200,000. Additionally, rural communities will provide medical staff with state-funded service housing during their employment.
Digital solutions make the healthcare system more user-friendly for patients and transparent for medical businesses. This year, two new services will launch: e-Patient Cabinet and e-Licence. The e-Patient Cabinet will allow patients to choose doctors, change declarations, and update personal information online without queues or extra visits. The e-Licence will digitise medical practice licensing and the handling of narcotic drugs, simplifying procedures and increasing transparency.
In 2026, a national preventive check-up programme will start. Every person aged 40 and over will be able to undergo free annual screenings for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental health disorders. The goal is to make prevention a routine part of life and reduce the cost of delayed diagnoses. The state will cover check-up costs, including service fees, allowing patients to choose public, municipal, or private facilities.
The full-scale war has heightened the importance of mental health for Ukrainians, a trend observed globally. Under the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme “How Are You?”, initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska, efforts are underway to create a mental health ecosystem. Since 2025, free mental health services have been available to all Ukrainians at primary care facilities. Additionally, 98 mental health centres are operational, providing specialised support spaces where anyone needing psychosocial or psychiatric care can access it without stigma in a safe environment. These centres complement basic support – from family doctors to school psychologists and resilience centres – and offer professional psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, and psychological assistance for more complex cases. By year-end, at least 200 such centres are planned to open at cluster and super-cluster hospitals.
The Ministry of Health continues to develop rehabilitation services. The 2025 goal, set by the President of Ukraine under the internal resilience plan, is to establish barrier-free rehabilitation units for veterans in every community with a medical facility – approximately 300 such spaces. Currently, 91 of 280 general hospitals in communities have contracts with the National Health Service of Ukraine for outpatient rehabilitation services.
From 2026, the Preventive Vaccination Calendar will be updated to include free HPV vaccination for girls aged 12–13 using a modern 9-valent vaccine protecting against nine common strains, seven of which are highly oncogenic. The second measles vaccination will shift from age 6 to 4. Additionally, modern combination vaccines will be introduced, reducing the number of injections and making vaccination more comfortable for children and parents.