Ukraine and France boost cooperation in healthcare: new agreements inked

Health Minister of Ukraine, Viktor Liashko, met with Special Envoy of the President of France for Ukraine's Relief and Reconstruction, Pierre Heilbronn, to discuss current and new areas of cooperation and sign two agreements within the framework of intergovernmental partnership.

The discussion participants also included Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Edem Adamanov, city head of Nizhyn Oleksandr Kodola, representatives of the French Embassy, the French Healthcare international initiative, as well as GE HealthCare Technologies and Ellipse Projects.

“Since the start of the full-scale invasion, France has remained a reliable partner of Ukraine in the field of healthcare. We are sincerely grateful to the French people and all our French partners for their consistent and systematic support, which allows us to rehabilitate and develop the healthcare system, support communities and save lives even in the most difficult conditions. During the Ukraine Recovery Conference – URC2024 in Berlin, the governments of Ukraine and France signed two framework agreements on strengthening cooperation, which were subsequently ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament. Today, we are launching important initiatives: equipping our hospitals with high-tech equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and building a modular hospital in Nizhyn on the basis of a local medical facility. Investments in medicine are investments in the lives and health of Ukrainians," commented Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko.

During the meeting, the parties signed two agreements aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Ukrainian medical system in wartime.

The first agreement provides for the supply of high-tech medical equipment to modernise the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Ukrainian hospitals. This includes 25 mammography systems and the associated IT infrastructure. The supplier is the French company GE Medical Systems.

In addition to the supply of equipment, the agreement includes installation, training of medical staff, a five-year warranty, logistics and insurance. The total cost of the project is over EUR 11.6 million.

The second agreement provides for the construction of a modular hospital in Nizhyn on the basis of a local medical facility. The document provides for the creation of a full-fledged hospital, including design, supply of medical equipment, construction work, installation and commissioning. The initiative is being implemented by Ellipse Projects SAS in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Nizhyn Central City Hospital. The total cost of this project is EUR 35 million.

Both projects are being implemented within the framework of ratified agreements between the governments of Ukraine and France, which were signed during the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2024 in Berlin.

In general, a number of large-scale projects are already being rolled out as part of the Ukrainian-French partnership in healthcare, covering the development of rehabilitation services, emergency care, digital solutions and technical re-equipment of hospitals. In this context, the status of implementation of seven agreements in the field of healthcare, totalling more than EUR 51 million, which are being implemented within the framework of the Intergovernmental Grant Agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of Ukraine, was discussed.

In particular, the largest training and production centre for prosthetics in Ukraine has already been established in Lviv, and work is continuing on the establishment of prosthetic micro-clinics in Poltava and Bila Tserkva, as well as the supply of X-ray machines, ultrasound systems, resuscitation equipment and telemedicine networks. The agreements also provide for the construction of a children's rehabilitation centre in Vinnytsia and the reconstruction of the rehabilitation department at the city hospital in Ladyzhyn.

In addition, work is underway to deploy telemedicine networks: 80 stationary systems (LIMSTAR) and 62 mobile solutions (FMC) have already been delivered to medical facilities, where they are being tested. At the same time, 120 mobile X-ray machines are being delivered, 36 of which have already been transferred to healthcare facilities for use.

Along with this, primary and specialised healthcare institutions have already received 150 modern ultrasound systems capable of operating even in field conditions. In addition, 700 units of resuscitation equipment (defibrillators and monitors) are being supplied, as well as 230 high-tech devices for the rehabilitation of wounded patients.

Ukraine and France continue to deepen their cooperation in the field of healthcare in order to develop medical infrastructure, introduce modern technologies and expand patients' access to quality medical care.