Ukraine strengthens international health partnership: outcomes of the first day at the 78th World Health Assembly

The 78th World Health Assembly has commenced in Geneva. On the first day, Ukraine’s Minister of Health, Viktor Liashko, participated in several international events and signed two memoranda of cooperation in the healthcare sector.

During the event “Shaping the Future of School Nutrition: Ukraine’s Reform Experience, Global Policies, and Commitments,” Orest Stepaniak, head of Ukraine’s school nutrition reform team, presented the outcomes of a systemic reform initiated in 2020 by First Lady Olena Zelenska. Organised by the Permanent Missions of Ukraine, France, and Japan in Geneva, UNICEF, and The Rockefeller Foundation, the event brought together political leaders, experts, and international partners.

In his speech, Minister Liashko emphasised that the school nutrition reform involves updating standards, modernising infrastructure, establishing culinary hubs, and implementing modern nutrition models. The goal is to reduce non-communicable diseases, promote healthy habits, and ensure equal access to quality nutrition.

“School nutrition is not just about food – it’s about health and the future of our country. Over 80% of premature deaths in Ukraine are caused by non-communicable diseases. The best way to reduce this burden is to foster healthy habits from childhood. We’ve updated standards in line with WHO recommendations, introduced quality monitoring, and, with our partners, provided hot meals to many children, including those from war-affected families. Even during the war, we haven’t stopped the reform. Today, Ukraine is not only implementing changes but also setting the tone for global discussions,” said Viktor Liashko.

In 2023, Ukraine joined the global School Meals Coalition, and in 2024, it hosted the European Regional Summit with 500 participants from 20 countries. In Geneva, the Ukrainian delegation called on the international community to support the integration of quality nutrition into national strategies for recovery, education, and healthcare.

A bilateral meeting also took place between Ukraine’s Minister of Health, Viktor Liashko, and Türkiye’s Minister of Health, Kemal Memişoğlu. The meeting resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries’ health ministries. The document outlines multi-level cooperation in public health, pharmaceuticals, medical education, digital solutions, medical technologies, and emergency response.

“Partnership with Türkiye opens new opportunities for the development of Ukrainian medicine. We are interested in joint solutions that work both during the war and in recovery. This includes cutting-edge medical innovations, investments in science and personnel, knowledge exchange, and educational initiatives. We are already laying the foundation for future projects to strengthen our healthcare system. We expect a dedicated mission from Turkish businesses, and we’re working to transform these opportunities into tangible changes for Ukrainian hospitals and patients,” said Viktor Liashko.

Ukraine and Türkiye have significant potential to deepen healthcare cooperation. Promising areas include developing rehabilitation services, attracting private investment to modernise Ukrainian medicine through public-private partnerships, strengthening horizontal collaboration between Ukrainian and Turkish medical institutions, and continuing knowledge exchange through training Ukrainian medical professionals in Türkiye and implementing joint research projects.

Additionally, Viktor Liashko held meetings with counterparts from the United Kingdom, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Libya, Germany, and representatives of the Sovereign Order of Malta. Discussions focused on preparing technical cooperation agreements within the framework of security arrangements, implementing existing agreements, fostering horizontal partnerships between medical institutions, and enhancing the resilience of Ukraine’s healthcare system.