By changing approaches to addressing a number of issues in the healthcare sector the Government has managed to root out a lot of corruption schemes that had been previously created in the procurement of medicines, vaccines, provision of hospitals and directly patients with chronic illnesses. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman.

"We are well aware that the results of reform, changing the principles of financing are the categories deferred in time. We cannot see them here and now. But what's important. Already more than 12 million people have concluded contracts for the primary care with their physicians. And there have been drawn up requirements, examinations calendar for such doctors. This is a new system, new quality of services. And for each patient, the state will pay the doctors", said Volodymyr Groysman. "The quality of each service is monitored by the established National Health Service."

The Head of Government stressed that the list of services in the primary chain had also been approved, and all procedures standardized.

Meanwhile, the system for providing medicines operates. First of all, it is about the government program Available Medicines launched in April last year. By now more than 21 million recipes have been reimbursed under the program.

"Earlier, people could not afford to buy medicines, they died from the lack of pharmaceuticals. But nowadays we record a reduction in mortality", emphasized Volodymyr Groysman. "Pay attention to the fact that today Ukraine has a full set of vaccines for vaccinations! Where do epidemics come from? From the neglect of managers who 5-10 years ago, for various reasons, tolerated the lack of medicines and the failure of the vaccination calendar. We have embarked on settlement of the situation."

The Prime Minister stressed that currently a number of attempts were being made to bring back the old times, old schemes.

"But I do not want to deal with that. It is vitsl to establish a coalition to curb dirty hands and dirty schemes. I appeal to the public – don’t turn a blind eye to corruption, don’t keep silent", urged Volodymyr Groysman.

Background

In April of this year, a campaign was launched in Ukraine to sign contracts with primary care physicians. More than 13.6 million patients have already signed declarations and have guaranteed services. The number of institutions that signed contracts with the National Health Service of Ukraine that will control the quality of service provision exceeds 160. And among those are private institutions.

Ukraine has introduced drug procurement through international organizations over a year ago. The prices at which pharmaceuicals are supplied are, along certain positions, lower, through the absence of intermediaries.

Under the Available Medicine program, which triggered in April, 2017, and is in effect this year, the list has been extended to 261 "program" medicines that are distributed free of charge or for a small extra pay. The program covers oen in three pharmacies in the country. The total budget allocated for the program amounts to 1 UAH billion.