Ukraine and Denmark sign agreement on strategic sectoral cooperation in healthcare
Ukraine's Health Minister Viktor Liashko and Denmark's Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Lode Jacobsen signed an agreement on strategic sectoral cooperation in healthcare, which aims to strengthen and develop bilateral cooperation in healthcare between the two countries.
“Ukraine and Denmark are strengthening their partnership: today we signed an agreement on strategic sectoral cooperation in healthcare, which is a logical continuation of the agreement on security cooperation signed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen in Lviv on 23 February this year. This is yet another confirmation of Denmark's steadfast commitment to helping Ukraine, and we are extremely grateful for this support. Today, the Ukrainian healthcare system is facing unprecedented challenges due to the war. So far, 1,878 medical facilities have been damaged and another 289 destroyed. Despite this, Ukrainian doctors continue to work: to treat, help, and save lives. This is also thanks to the continued support of international partners. I am confident that more active bilateral cooperation between the two countries will help strengthen our healthcare systems.”
The signed agreement defines the common goals of Ukraine and Denmark, including the integration of the Ukrainian healthcare system into the European Union standards, the development of horizontal cooperation between hospitals in our countries, the fight against antimicrobial resistance and the strengthening of the healthcare system in Ukraine.
It also aims to identify common areas of cooperation between the countries in the following areas
Mental health - creating a more sustainable mental health system, taking into account the experience of Denmark. Mental health services, including child psychiatry and psychology, support and rehabilitation for veterans, will be integrated at all levels of the health care system. This will create a holistic, sustainable system where mental health is an integral part of general medical care, with an emphasis on prevention and support for the most vulnerable groups.
Pharmaceutical sector - the creation of a state control body, a central executive body with a special status that implements the state policy in the field of creation, market authorization, quality control, safety, and efficacy of medicines. An important area of work is the unification of all existing bodies into a single institution. This body will perform functions similar to those performed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), ensuring harmonization with European standards and a unified approach to registration and marketing authorization of medicines in Ukraine, inspections, and pharmacovigilance.
Epidemiological surveillance and antimicrobial resistance - improving the capacity of national laboratories and healthcare facilities to collect, analyze and report AMR data under EU standards. This is also a prerequisite for Ukraine's participation in pan-European AMR surveillance networks, such as the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) and the European Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Surveillance Network (EURGen-Net).
Also, during the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to Denmark, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control and the Danish Medicines Agency. The document concerns further cooperation between the regulatory authorities of Ukraine and Denmark. The interaction will facilitate the exchange of experience in the areas of quality, safety of medicines and medical devices; certification of the production of medicines and medical devices, compliance with GMP and GDP requirements during inspections, information on the responsibilities of regulatory authorities concerning the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971.
The Minister of Health emphasized that Denmark has been and remains a reliable partner for Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, it has been one of the most active countries in providing assistance to the regions of Ukraine and citizens who have been particularly affected by the war. This includes humanitarian aid, the purchase of medical equipment, the country's participation in the reconstruction of hospitals, and a clear position in the international arena. In addition, Denmark has been actively accepting injured Ukrainians for treatment and rehabilitation under the MEDEVAC program since the first months of the war.
Viktor Liashko expressed his gratitude for the participation and for the high level of attention that Denmark pays to Ukraine, especially in this extremely difficult period. The Minister noted that the conclusion of the strategic agreement and memorandum is another step toward the integration of the Ukrainian medical system and the improvement of the quality of medical care. The implementation of these agreements will bring results for both parties and contribute to the achievement of strategic goals in Ukraine and Denmark.
It is worth reminding that the Ministry of Health of Ukraine recently signed another technical agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania in healthcare within the framework of the already concluded security agreement.