The Ministry of Health and WHO discussed priority areas of cooperation to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's healthcare system in the context of war
Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko, Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, and WHO Country Director for Ukraine Jarno Habicht met to discuss priority areas of cooperation to support the resilience of Ukraine's healthcare system in the context of war, continuing the reform program and moving towards the restoration of the healthcare system.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Hans Kluge shared his impressions of the results of working visits to Dnipropetrovs'k, Kharkiv and Poltava Oblasts.
Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko expressed his gratitude to the Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe for the active support and efforts to improve the health of Ukrainians during wartime challenges.
“The Ukrainian healthcare system is currently going through extremely hard challenges, responding to wartime challenges daily. However, despite the strain, our medical system has survived and continues to develop to provide Ukrainians with the necessary medical care. We do this thanks to the strong support and assistance of our international partners, including the World Health Organization. I can confidently say that the WHO plays an essential role in ensuring rapid response to crises. Together we are working not only on the restoration of the medical system and related services but also on strategic development because the foundations of what our medicine will be like after the war are being laid today. I am grateful for such a conscious and strong support of the Ukrainian healthcare system.”
It should be mentioned that the World Health Organization is one of Ukraine's key and long-term strategic partners, which has strengthened its support since the beginning of the full-scale war, in particular, together with the Ministry of Health, it provides operational assistance to ensure medical services in the context of military conflict. One example is the installation of modular primary health care facilities in the frontline areas. This is a temporary solution that can quickly and effectively address the urgent need for access to medical care right now.
Another important area is the readiness of medical facilities to work during winter. The Ministry of Health, together with the WHO, is implementing a project to equip hospitals with backup modular boilers, which are an alternative heating system and provide autonomy in case of emergency power outages or blackouts. This initiative was made possible with the help of the German government. A total of eight such modules are planned to be installed across the country.
During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the following areas
- responding to humanitarian crises — cooperation in responding to urgent medical needs in the regions most affected by the full-scale war. This includes providing emergency medical care in the regions, medical evacuation and rehabilitation of victims, supplying necessary equipment and medicines, etc.;
- improving the emergency medical care system — training of personnel, ensuring coordination of services at all levels, implementation of monitoring systems, and support for the introduction of new standards in medical care;
- fighting against infectious diseases — cooperation in vaccination, control of polio, measles, and rubella, ensuring patient safety, and prevention of infections in hospitals;
- mental health and rehabilitation — cooperation in developing a comprehensive mental health system that includes both medical care and psychological support for people affected by war;
- international coordination and partnerships — development of international medical partnerships of Ukraine with other countries and organizations, providing access to advanced technologies, exchange of experience and knowledge between facilities.
The Minister of Health emphasized that fruitful cooperation allows the Ukrainian healthcare system to develop effectively and maintain resilience even in the face of the challenges of a full-scale war.