Achievements and victories of the medical system of Ukraine in 2022

Despite the extremely difficult year caused by the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the medical system not only survived, but was also able to take significant steps forward.

We will remind you about the main achievements and victories of the health care system in 2022:

• The salary of a doctor is set at the level of not less than 20,000 hryvnias, and the salary of a nurse is not less than 13,500 hryvnias.
• The medical guarantee program received record funding of 157 billion hryvnias.
• Cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the medical services of the defense sector is ensured according to the principle of “single medical space”.
• 113 objects of medical institutions damaged as a result of military aggression have been fully restored, 264 are in the process of restoration.
• Coordination with the European Commission DG SANTE and DG ECHO in matters of medical evacuation and treatment of Ukrainians in EU countries has been established. 2,354 sick and injured adults and children were evacuated for treatment in 29 countries.
• An agreement was signed with the EU on the inclusion of Ukraine in the EU4Health European program.
• 94% of the procurement plan for medicines, medical devices and medical equipment planned for 2022 has been completed.
• The Ministry of Health has established effective cooperation with the World Bank. Due to the additional financing of this project, the Ministry of Health purchased about 6,000 units of critically needed medical equipment for the total amount of 37.7 million US dollars.
• The Ministry of Health coordinates the implementation of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska regarding the implementation of the National Program of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. In particular:

1. interdepartmental interaction is coordinated,
2. the profession of clinical psychologist and medical chaplain was introduced,
3. the operation of 80 mobile multidisciplinary mental health teams is ensured,
4. a new package “Support and treatment of adults and children with mental disorders at the primary level of medical care” was introduced within the framework of the Medical Guarantee Program,
5. an audit of needs and resources in the field of mental health was conducted together with international partners and the NGO “Bezbariernost”,
6. launched an online course for primary care specialists on the management of common mental disorders using the mhGAP guidelines according to the WHO program,
7. the following products were developed: the guide “Basic skills of caring for yourself and others”, a new section of the “Handbook for accessibility” – “Ethics of interaction in times of stress”, stress management in the BetterMe: Mental Health application.

• Extended neonatal screening for 21 orphan diseases has been launched.
• 379 organ transplants were performed.
• The “Affordable Medicines” reimbursement program is expanding. Included for reimbursement are prescriptions for the treatment of mental illnesses. In total, 11,500 pharmacies participate in the program, 10,168,541 prescriptions were repaid, the actual cost of reimbursement of which amounted to 2 billion 243 million UAH.
• Feofania Hospital became accessible to every Ukrainian and started working under the Medical Guarantee Program.
• The doors opened for patients in the new modern buildings of the National Children’s Specialized Hospital of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine “Okhmatdit” and the Center for Children’s Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
• Electronic prescriptions for antibacterial drugs and narcotic (psychotropic) drugs have been launched, more than 400,000 prescriptions have been issued.
• 7 pilot telemedicine solutions were implemented under martial law for the amount of 1.4 million US dollars.
• The National Contact Center of the Ministry of Health processed more than 700,000 appeals.
• A new version of the regulations on internships was adopted and a rating approach to the allocation of graduates of higher medical education institutions to internships was introduced as a transitional stage to electronic distribution.
• A special job portal for medical workers has been opened on the website of the Ministry of Health. Since its launch, about 600 vacancies in health care institutions throughout Ukraine have been submitted to the portal.
• The specifics of certification, specialization, and continuous professional development of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses during martial law have been regulated.
• 7 standards of higher education have been approved: master’s degree in the specialties “Dentistry”, “Medicine”, “Nursing”, “Pharmacy, industrial pharmacy”, “Physical therapy, occupational therapy” and doctor of philosophy in the specialties “Dentistry”, “Public Health”. A new scientific specialty “Disaster Medicine” was created.
• The successful organization of the admissions campaign in higher education institutions of the Ministry of Health was ensured. Almost 100% of the state order for admission has been fulfilled. The average passing score for the budget remained at a high level and amounted to more than 150 points.
• Through the UNITED24 fundraising platform, more than UAH 1 billion was raised for health care needs, and more than 9,000 medical and other equipment, 133 ambulances, and 13 units of evacuation vehicles were purchased.
• 10.5 thousand tons of medical humanitarian aid worth UAH 12.8 billion were received from 35 countries of the world.
• Since the beginning of the war, 779 ambulances, SUVs and armored evacuation vehicles have been purchased and delivered through various mechanisms.
• In cooperation with the government of the Republic of Poland, the partnership of medical universities of Ukraine and Poland was coordinated, modular family medicine dispensaries and modular temporary bases of the EMD service were established in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
• With the participation of foreign partners, about 2,100 training events were held on tactical, emergency medicine and other medical assistance issues.