Minister of Health of Ukraine met with the Minister of the Interior and Health of Denmark: strengthening cooperation between the countries in the medical field was discussed
Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko met with Minister of the Interior and Health of Denmark Sophie Løde and her team, who are on a working visit to Ukraine. The delegations discussed priority areas of cooperation and further steps to strengthen sectoral collaboration.
“Denmark has been a reliable partner of Ukraine since the first months of the full-scale war. The country not only provides humanitarian aid, assists in the restoration of medical facilities and the supply of equipment, but also actively supports the MEDEVAC medical evacuation program, accepting wounded Ukrainian military and civilians for treatment. Today, our cooperation covers strategically important areas: development of the mental health care system, fight against antimicrobial resistance, reform of the pharmaceutical sector and European integration. We are also working to expand international medical partnerships between medical institutions in our countries. We are grateful to Denmark for its expert support and joint work on solutions that will help strengthen the Ukrainian healthcare system and make it more sustainable and closer to European standards.”
The Minister noted that the Ukrainian healthcare system highly appreciates the experience of Denmark and is ready to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the following key areas
- development of the mental health care system;
- combating antimicrobial resistance;
- reforming the pharmaceutical sector;
- European integration;
- development of international medical partnerships, etc.
During the visit to Ukraine, the Danish delegation also visited the Kyiv Regional Children's Hospital. In September 2023, during the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, at the initiative of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ukrainian institution and the Maria Elizabeth Hospital for Children, Adolescents and Young Families, Copenhagen.
It should be noted that Maria Elizabeth Hospital for Children, Adolescents, and Young Families is the largest hospital where children, adolescents, pregnant women, and families receive care. The medical institution is known for its cutting-edge approaches, where the child, his or her needs and interests, are at the center of everything.
Currently, the hospitals are working together to develop new modern areas of surgical care, namely combustiology, orthopedics and traumatology, and minimally invasive surgery. The cooperation also involves internships for Kyiv Children's Hospital doctors in pediatric oncohematology, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and newborn therapy. Within the framework of the partnership, Ukrainian doctors have already had the opportunity to visit the Danish institution and learn about the latest treatment methods.
During the visit, the Danish delegation toured key departments of the Kyiv Oblast Children's Hospital, including the Neonatology, Intensive Care and Anaesthesiology Department, Combustiology and Rehabilitation Department. The parties discussed further practical aspects of cooperation, including the exchange of doctors for internships in Denmark and Ukraine, as well as the possibility of implementing international treatment protocols.
The delegation also got acquainted with the future department of pediatric oncohematology, which is being prepared for opening. The extensive experience of Danish doctors in this field will be valuable for the further development of onco-dental care in Ukraine.
As part of the visit, the Ukrainian-Danish delegation visited one of the laboratories that studies antibiotic resistance, and the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Danish State Institute for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases signed a memorandum of cooperation.
During the meeting, the Center's experts presented their findings and signed a memorandum with the Danish State Institute for Infectious Disease Prevention. The memorandum envisages cooperation that will contribute to the Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy until 2030 implementation.
The participants discussed key areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening the national antimicrobial resistance surveillance system through the introduction of modern methods, exchange of experience, and development of laboratory capacity. The interaction between the institutions will help to adapt laboratory capacities to European standards and improve the response to the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The Minister of Health of Ukraine thanked Denmark for its strategic support and deep understanding of Ukraine's needs in this difficult time. Viktor Liashko emphasized that effective cooperation between the countries in the healthcare sector has already yielded significant results and allowed the Ukrainian healthcare system to develop despite the war.