Viktor Liashko: Support for people who suffered as a result of the Chornobyl disaster must be systematic and up to date

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko took part in an off-site meeting of the Verkhovna Rada's Temporary Special Commission to prepare issues regarding the strengthening of social protection for citizens affected by the Chornobyl disaster and the use of territory contaminated by radioactive waste as a result of the Chornobyl disaster. During the meeting, participants discussed support for people who suffered as a result of the Chornobyl disaster. In particular, the Ministry of Health has developed a number of systemic solutions — from updating the network of specialised institutions to introducing annual comprehensive medical examinations and expanding access to free medical services.

“The task of the Ministry of Health is to ensure universal access to quality and free medical care for all Ukrainians. Uniformity is the key word here, but it also means taking into account the specific needs of individual groups. Support for people affected by the Chornobyl disaster must be systematic and up to date. That is why we have updated the network of institutions that provide them with medical care and are expanding access to free services — in particular, from 2026 to dental prosthetics and routine dental care. At the same time, decisions that enable early detection of diseases and timely treatment are important.

First and foremost, this concerns a health screening programme for people aged 40 and over, which is set to launch in 2026, as well as the ongoing expansion of the Affordable Medicines programme, which currently includes over 700 medicines that can be obtained free of charge or with a partial co-payment. An important focus of the medical guarantee programme for next year is a healthy heart. People with chronic coronary syndrome will be eligible for free stenting. To this end, we are changing the tariffs for cardiac surgery and purchasing stents at public expense. This year, we have also expanded access to important services, including for people affected by the Chornobyl disaster. The Ministry of Health has approved a list of nearly 100 medical facilities where patients with cataracts can receive free artificial lens implantation services. A list of medical institutions that provide free joint replacement services has also been approved. It is to these institutions that endoprostheses purchased with state funds are distributed. Currently, there are about 100 such medical institutions, and they are located in all regions of the country," said Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has updated the list of specialised healthcare facilities that provide medical assistance to people who became victims of Chornobyl accident. The list of such facilities was originally drawn up in 1996, but due to changes in the structure of the healthcare system, the development of a capable network and the updating of approaches to the provision of assistance, this list has been revised for quality purposes. Therefore, it is currently being updated to reflect the actual capabilities of healthcare facilities. The list will include competent medical facilities that have proven experience in providing assistance to victims of the Chornobyl disaster and are equipped with the necessary medical devices and specialists.

The state continues to actively invest in medical infrastructure throughout the country, including medical facilities that provide care to people with cancer. Over the past five years, more than 230 CT scanners (8 of them for cancer centres), more than 40 MRI machines (9 of them for cancer centres), and 21 linear accelerators have been delivered to Ukrainian hospitals. In addition, as part of Ukrainian-French cooperation, Ukrainian hospitals are to receive 25 expert-class mammography machines.

From the new year, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine is also introducing National Health Screening 40+, an annual comprehensive medical examination for Ukrainian men and women, including those affected by the Chornobyl disaster. This is a regular health screening that will help detect diseases in time and start treatment before complications arise. The examinations are intended for people aged 40 and over, in particular those affected by the Chornobyl accident.

What's more, as part of the Medical Guarantees Programme, the Affordable Medicines reimbursement programme is also continuing, which also covers people affected by the Chornobyl accident.

As part of the systematic update of the programme, the list has already been expanded to 705 items, including medicines for the treatment of cardiovascular, mental, endocrine and metabolic diseases, which are critically important for this category of patients.

In addition, starting in 2026, free dental prosthetics and dental treatment (routine dental care) will also be available to Chornobyl accident liquidators and people with disabilities resulting from the Chornobyl disaster.

Currently, such assistance is provided free of charge to war veterans, military personnel and people who have survived captivity. Today, these services are provided by 487 healthcare facilities throughout Ukraine, with the exception of temporarily occupied territories. More than 108,000 people have already taken advantage of this opportunity.

For 2026, the budget provides for UAH 1.34 billion for this service, which is UAH 350 million more than in the current year.