The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and WHO reviewed cooperation in 2025 and outlined priorities for 2026
On December 17, Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health of Ukraine, met with Jarno Habicht, the Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Ukraine. The parties reviewed the outcomes of their cooperation in 2025, including key results in humanitarian and technical support, and identified priority areas for collaboration in 2026.
During the meeting, Viktor Liashko expressed his gratitude to the WHO for its consistent support to Ukraine during the full-scale war and for its contribution to strengthening the resilience of the national health system. Notably, between 2022 and 2025 alone, the WHO allocated more than USD 346 million to health response measures in Ukraine.
“Partnerships with the WHO and other international organizations are an important element in the development of Ukraine’s healthcare system. Today, this collaboration allows us to respond effectively to current challenges while also laying the foundation for a long-term strategy for the development of the health system during the war and the post-war recovery period.”
With a view to future cooperation, the parties discussed preparations for signing a new two-year agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the WHO Regional Office for Europe for 2026–2027. This document is intended to serve as a logical continuation of systematic cooperation and aims to ensure universal access to quality healthcare services and the sustainable development of Ukraine’s healthcare system.
Priority areas of cooperation include the development of rehabilitation care, the implementation of new digital tools, the introduction of updated vaccination standards, the strengthening of pharmaceutical policies and regulatory oversight of medicines, and the development of cross-border healthcare and international medical partnerships.
The identified priority areas align with the Strategy for the Development of the Healthcare System of Ukraine until 2030 and the corresponding implementation plan for 2025–2027.
During the meeting, particular emphasis was placed on the practical support that the WHO is already providing to Ukraine amid the full-scale war, especially in humanitarian response and health emergency preparedness. In December 2025, at the initiative of the WHO and with the support of the Asia–Europe Foundation (ASEF), Ukrainian healthcare institutions received modern diagnostic kits valued at UAH 4.7 million to strengthen the epidemiological surveillance system. As part of the autumn-winter support, hospitals have also received at least 13 power generators. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, approximately 248 units of backup power supply equipment have been delivered to healthcare facilities across Ukraine.
Support for emergency medical care also remains a key focus of joint initiatives. At the beginning of 2025, an additional 23 emergency medical vehicles were delivered to regional healthcare facilities. Since 2022, a total of 117 specialized vehicles have been provided with support from the WHO.
In 2025, with support from the WHO, 4 modular primary health care clinics and 2 modular emergency medical service stations were established in the Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts (regions).
Joint initiatives also focus on developing rehabilitation services and creating barrier-free environments. In particular, the WHO has contributed to the implementation of the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment through 2030.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the World Health Organization continue their systematic collaboration to strengthen the resilience of the health system. This includes medical evacuation of patients abroad, provision of medicines and equipment, development of laboratory diagnostics, vaccination, emergency response, and strengthening the capacities of emergency medical care.
The World Health Organization’s Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), Ukraine 2024–2030, is available at the following link.