Patients of Ukraine presented their rating of Presidential election candidates based on the attention dedicated to healthcare issues in the candidates\u2019 election platforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have conducted a very thorough analysis of all platforms by our candidates and focused on 5 leaders of the Presidential race\u201d \u2013 <\/em>Dmytro Sherembey, Patients of Ukraine (UCAB) Head, says. \u201cIt was very challenging to identify the key criteria to be applied while setting up the rating: almost all candidates limited themselves with just a couple of populist-like sentences on healthcare in their platforms. Given the situation we have, substantial analysis of platforms on healthcare issues was impossible. Therefore, patients have ranked Presidential election candidates within a symbolical patients\u2019 rating based on the number of words on healthcare used in their platforms.<\/em><\/p>\n Oleh Lyashko was ranked first in Top-3 with 26 words on healthcare in his platform. He was followed by Yuliya Tymoshenko and Petro Poroshenko with 12 words and 8 words on this topic, respectively. Two Presidential election candidates\u2019 platforms (Serhiy Tyhypko and Anatoliy Hrytsenko) do not include any mention about healthcare system reform in Ukraine whatsoever; that is the reason why they were placed on the bottom of the ranking list. However, even leaders of this \u201cmedical rating\u201d mention healthcare in a populist manner and these mentions are not substantive. E.g.: \u201cFor accessibility of qualified healthcare for all citizens\u201d (Petro Poroshenko); \u201cFundamental reform of healthcare sphere (Oleh Lyashko) and \u201cTo ensure guaranteed package of primary and urgent medical aid funded from the government\u2019s budget\u201d (Yu. Tymoshenko).<\/p>\n According to the rating, all 5 leaders of Presidential race, particularly, Petro Poroshenko, Serhiy Tyhypko, Yuliya Tymoshenko, Anatoliy Hrytsenko and Oleh Lyashko, received scythes with their last names on them sent by patients to each candidate\u2019s HQ symbolizing that this hand tool will become a Presidential insignia if current candidates\u2019 platforms remain as they are now; so, a future President will scythe the nation. All Presidential election candidates totally ignored the Constitutional right of every Ukrainian citizen to health whereas it is this sphere that remains one of the most painful ones for every Ukrainian today: it is the lack of medicines that causes 1,607 deaths in Ukraine every day.<\/p>\n Scythes to the Presidential election candidates were sent accompanied with letters from civil society. The candidates are called to devise a detailed plan to highlight the key strategy areas on healthcare system reform till May 25, 2014. On their side, patients\u2019 community leaders in Ukraine \u2013 \u201cPatients of Ukraine\u201d charitable foundation in partnership with \u201cResuscitation Reform Package\u201d initiative noted that they are ready to cooperate with Presidential election candidates HQs in order to design a respective program under the condition that the Presidential race winner would implement it.<\/p>\n \u00abSo far as Presidential election candidates are busy with their pre-election campaigns, it is civil society that acts as a driver of reforms in our country, \u2013 <\/em>Hanna Hopko, Resuscitation Reform Package coordinator, says. \u2013 We expect that the new President will be open to dialogue and will use the experience and expertise accumulated by civil society to change the country. It is for this reason that even before a winner is determined we draw attention of Presidential race leaders to healthcare sphere as one of the most important ones in Ukraine. We hope that they will introduce changes into their platforms re-setting priorities in favor of human lives\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n Patients of Ukraine and civil society activists set the deadline for response from Presidential election candidates at May, 25. On their side, civil society guarantees full support for the future President in healthcare system reform.<\/p>\n Contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n Natalya Krasnenkova:
\n<\/i> 067 465 54 26
\n<\/i> krasnenkova@prhouse.com.ua<\/a><\/p>\n