Government identifies additional measures to ensure stable functioning of social sector amid energy crisis

The Government keeps working to ensure that the state remains stable and citizens continue to receive support despite the crisis in the energy sector. This was announced by Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko following a meeting with responsible ministers.

During the meeting, the current state of infrastructure was discussed and specific steps were identified that are already being implemented to ensure the functioning of the social sector.

Medical facilities.

The key task of the Government is to prevent any medical facility from shutting down due to power outages. The Ministry of Health, together with the RMAs, ensures the uninterrupted and autonomous operation of hospitals. All of them have alternative power sources, primarily generators. The state additionally provides reserves of generators and fuel where they are most needed.

We are also keeping a close eye on the supply of medicines. Hospitals and pharmacies have the necessary stocks of medicines, and price controls on medicines have been tightened.

Education.

The safety of children remains a priority. Due to the situation in the energy sector, some educational institutions are operating remotely or have temporarily suspended classes. In Kyiv, all schools, except kindergartens, are on holiday until 1 February.

The Prime Minister has instructed the Ministry of Education and Science to ensure that teachers' salaries are paid in full during the period of forced holidays.

For children whose parents cannot leave them at home, special classes with backup power supplies must be set up. Already, 284 such classes have been opened in Kyiv — they are warm, have lighting, and offer a safe place to spend the day.

Support for people with limited mobility.

Special attention is being paid to people with limited mobility and single pensioners. The Head of the Government has given urgent instructions to the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity and RMAs to check which people with reduced mobility and single pensioners need additional help due to the cold in their homes. Special focus is being placed on Kyiv. The state is providing the necessary resources, but we are also counting on the active work of local authorities.

Social institutions.

The Government is keeping social institutions under separate control.

"I have instructed that an additional inspection of all social institutions be carried out: centres for internally displaced persons, family-type children's homes and permanent residence facilities. All of them must have electricity, fuel for generators and hot meals," Yulia Svyrydenko emphasised.

Mobile kitchens.

The State Emergency Service is deploying mobile kitchens to provide people with hot meals. There are already 41 such kitchens operating in Kyiv, with another 40 in reserve that can be deployed if necessary.

"We are drafting a decision on additional funding from the reserve fund of the State Budget to provide hot meals to vulnerable groups of the population, particularly in the capital," said the Prime Minister of Ukraine.