Ukrainian medical system continues to modernize in line with European standards - Maryna Slobodnichenko

This was stated by Deputy Minister of Health for European Integration Maryna Slobodnichenko during a meeting of the Ukrainian delegation with members of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Health SANT.

For the first time in the history of the European Parliament, the meeting was organized as an open session with the participation of Ukrainian deputies and government officials from the healthcare sector.

The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Mykhailo Radutskyi, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health. Other participants included deputies Olha Stefanishyna, Oles Dovgy, Valeriy Dubel, and Yana Zinkevich.

During the meeting, the Deputy Minister thanked the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Health - SANT for its unwavering support and outlined the main priorities of the Ukrainian healthcare system in the European integration process.

“Ukraine’s European integration has long gone beyond the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU. Our focus is now on the implementation of all EU legislation. Therefore, Ukraine’s European course, including in the healthcare sector, is unchanged. We are confidently moving in this direction. That is why, step by step, we are doing everything possible to ensure that Ukraine’s healthcare system meets European standards,” said Maryna Slobodnichenko.

The European integration vector covers all areas of healthcare, which can be divided into 4 key blocks: public health, pharmaceutical regulation, medical services, and medical education, and each of them is permeated by digitalization.

Among the priorities for 2024-2025, which the European Commission is also paying attention to, are:

• a strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance;
• response plan to CBRN threats;
• cancer control strategy;
• continuing the implementation of the EU Directive on cross-border healthcare and joining our medical institutions to the European Reference Networks (ERN);
• continuing the development of digital technologies in healthcare and integration with EU registries.

Another important issue for discussion in the European Parliament was the reform of the pharmaceutical industry and the creation of a new regulatory body that would cover all areas of regulation in the pharmaceutical sector. This includes registration of medicines, examination of drug dossiers, market authorization, and quality control, safety and efficacy of medicines. 

The meeting also focused on the localization of pharmaceutical production in Ukraine, a separate solution for Ukraine to access EU electronic databases and registries, and mutual recognition of GMP certificates.

Maryna Slobodnichenko, Deputy Minister of Health for European Integration, expressed her gratitude to Mr. Adam Jarubas, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Public Health, for inviting the Ukrainian delegation to Brussels.

She emphasized that despite the prolonged and full-scale war unleashed by russia, the Ukrainian medical system has not only survived but can also present the results of its work during this time. Thanks to the strong support and assistance of the international community, the Ukrainian healthcare system is moving forward.