The decision on setting up a taskforce, including relevant state experts, civil society activists and international professionals to be its members has become the first practical step on the way to develop the national strategy to reform Ukrainian healthcare system. The Vector (direction) of Healthcare reform in Ukraine roundtable held on June 25 at the World Bank adopted a resolution on establishing the taskforce.
Civil society communities and experts, particularly, Patients of Ukraine charitable foundation, Resuscitation Reform Package civil initiative and PRO management in healthcare journal, advanced an idea to create a team of experts. The awareness of the critical need in involving national and international experts as well as civil society and community organizations into the process of drafting a concept for a new healthcare system in Ukraine constituted the underlying reason to hold the event.
«We, as advocates for patients’ interests in Ukraine, are aware about the need to reform healthcare system. However, last week we petitioned A. Yatsenyuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine, with a letter, stating that haste in holding this reform will guarantee that the reform will remain to exist only on paper. We demand to postpone the adoption of the concept of a new healthcare system by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the grounds of too tight a timeframe and no opportunities to involve civil society organizations as well as national and international experts into the process of drafting the concept. Reforms demand a professional approach, international expertise and analysis; they must take into account civil society’s opinions and experience» — Olha Stefanishina, Patients of Ukraine Executive Director, Resuscitation Reform Package advisor, noted.
The roundtable’s program included presentation of samples on statistics and economic situation in Ukraine; the experience of healthcare reform in France was presented; the Concept of a New Healthcare System developed by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine was discussed in much detail; civil society and experts’ suggestions on a further direction for healthcare reform in Ukraine were taken into consideration.
«Healthcare system reform is one of the most challenging ones the new Government of Ukraine is supposed to undertake. It deals not just with lives of patients, but constitutes a foundation to restore a healthy nation. Therefore, we are ready for this challenge standing together with civil society» — Nataliya Lisnevska, Deputy Minister of Health said.
Within recent 10 years attempts on healthcare reform were undertaken by various governments and convocations of the Parliament of Ukraine several times. Unfortunately, all these attempts were unsuccessful and resulted in an extremely negative attitude of an average Ukrainian to healthcare reform.
The discussion resulted in taking a decision: to suspend adoption of the Concept of a new healthcare system by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and create a list, including national and international experts, communities (patients) and civil society representatives to set up a legitimate taskforce, which is supposed to operate in accordance with transparency and openness principles.
