The Ministry of Health and USAID discussed the results of joint work in the first half of this year
The team of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, headed by Minister Viktor Liashko, met with the USAID delegation and representatives of the USAID Health Reform Support Project.
“The United States’ strong support for Ukraine is very important for our country and our people. We have an experience of long-term effective cooperation with USAID at all levels, both in peacetime and in times of war. Thanks to our coordinated cooperation, we are able to continue the process of reforming the healthcare sector to ensure that Ukrainians are provided with high-quality, affordable and free medical care. International support has allowed our healthcare system not only to survive, but to become stronger in many ways. I hope that our partnership will only get stronger.”
The participants of the meeting discussed the key results of joint work in the first half of this year and plans for the next six months. The Minister emphasized that further reform of the healthcare sector and optimization of a capable network of healthcare facilities remain a priority for the Ministry of Health. It is also important to continue supporting medical institutions at the regional level.
In addition, a framework document was recently presented that defines the strategic directions for the development of nursing in Ukraine. It contains four blocks: education, human resources and working environment, nursing leadership development, and strengthening the role of nurses in the provision of services. The directions and tasks set out in the document are aligned with the draft Healthcare System Development Strategy until 2030, which is currently at the final stage of approval.
Another significant result of the partnership is the launch of an electronic system of continuing professional development (CPD) for healthcare workers in May this year. Systematic training of healthcare professionals is necessary to maintain an appropriate level of professionalism and develop new skills and competencies, which contributes to improving the quality of healthcare services. Introducing electronic solutions can make the CPD process more convenient and easier.
They also discussed the details of joint work on assessing financial needs to restore the damaged and destroyed medical infrastructure. For more than two years of full-scale war, 1646 medical facilities have been damaged, and another 215 have been destroyed and cannot be restored. Therefore, the issue of restoring and ensuring the provision of medical services remains extremely urgent.