The Ukrainian Health Ministry plans to present a concept of a new health care system to the Cabinet of Ministers and hopes that it will be also approved by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Health Ministry Oleh Musiy has told Interfax-Ukraine in an interview.

“The concept is being considered by the Justice Ministry. As soon as the Justice Ministry draws up its conclusions, it will be submitted to a government committee and for further consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers. I presented the key theses of the concept to the prime minister three months ago, and they received a positive feedback. I think it will be supported by President Petro Poroshenko too,” he said.

Musiy said that the concept “involves all the aspects of medical assistance – from prevention of diseases to the creation of the so-called public health centers and hospital districts.”

“The paradigm will include [disease] prevention and health protection and healthy lifestyles rather than treatment and the provision of medical services,” he said.

The International Renaissance Foundation will issue a grant to develop a new health care system – “a more detailed document written not in a bureaucratic language and suitable for presenting to the public and “convincing patients and physicians to support the necessary changes,” he said.

“Its development will take up to three months. I have already signed an order to set up an expert council to prepare the strategy. The strategy will be followed by a final document – a stage-by-stage action plan to introduce the new health care system, which will exactly state when and what law, or resolution or order needs to be passed,” he said.

The minister also said that the International Renaissance Foundation had extended $150,000 for three months of work by experts, the World Bank had initiated the allocation of $330 million to Ukraine for health care reform for four years, which will be distributed among 10 regions and the Health Ministry, which will generalize the experience of all these regions.

“We plan to soon introduce the concept of building a new health system at the Council of Reform under the President of Ukraine, and then to the head of state,” Musiy said.
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