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Arseniy Yatseniuk Open Ukraine Foundation held a discussion on the implementation of primary care in Ukraine.
Arseniy Yatseniuk Open Ukraine Foundation together with the International Renaissance Foundation organized on November 22nd a panel discussion "Reform in health care sphere: primary care”. This event was the fifth in the project “Sharing Transition Experience”,which is aimed to inform Ukrainian expert community on the experience of reforms in the neighboring countries.
The participants – famous doctors, officials and experts discussed the lessons of implementation of the reform in the healthcare sphere in Czech Republic, Moldova and Bulgaria, and the importance of international experience for Ukraine.
Head of Supervisory Council of Open Ukraine Foundation Tereza YATSENIUK mentioned that it’s not the first time when the issue of primary care is raised: “A number of round–tables, conferences and discussions were held during last ten years. The question is still actual and very important to our country, taking into consideration that death rate is bigger than birth rate and the Ukraine’s population is reducing”. She expressed hope that the experience of other countries will provide with knowledge for successful reforms in the health care sphere in Ukraine.
Ms. Yatseniuk stressed the importance of family doctors, who know the health problems history of whole family and can help in time.
Yevhen BYSTRYTSKYI, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation assured that his organization will support the participation of NGOs in implementing reforms, accumulation of best practices, protecting patients' rights. He informed that the Renaissance Foundation is developing the project "Bridge of reforms" - the exchange of experience of post-Soviet countries, including health care sphere.
Mykola HOBZEY, Head of the Department of Medical Assistance of Ministry for Health of Ukraine stressed on the importance of support from officials who deal with public health in Ukraine. "The experience of foreign colleagues is very important, because the Ukrainian legislation in the health sector needs immediate improvement. Using the experience of neighboring countries we can avoid many mistakes,"- he said.
According to Mykola POLISHCHUK’s words, former Minister’s of Health of Ukraine, in United Kingdom implementation of family doctors has reduced death rate to 6%. The expert is convinced that one family doctor can serve 1, 5 thousand people.
Mr. POLISHCHUK assumes that because of absence of family doctors, people often consult in pharmacies and often buy unnecessary medicines. Mykola Polishchuk underlined, that Ukrainians spend about 20 billion hryvnas for medicines and 40% - expenses which could be avoided. “Doctors are not able themselves to implement reforms, economists must do it" - he mentioned.
Igor POKANEVYCH, Deputy Head of the World Health Organization in Ukraine, said, that Ukraine is far behind its neighbors in the health care sphere and this is reflected in many other areas of Ukrainian society. He informed, that the expenses for primary health care in Ukraine are 6 – 10 % of the total budget and only 17% of doctors are working on primary care level.
Oleg MUSIY, President of the Ukrainian Medical Association, Head of the Public Council at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, suggested to create a public authority, which will work only on reforms of health care sphere. Also he noted that nowadays Ukrainians need more information about health care sphere: “A person must now what is awaiting for him in several years”. Mr. Musiy said that there are 8000 family doctors today in Ukraine, but half of them are at the retirement age. He believes that because of the current rate of graduation of medical workers, Ukraine will be provided by family doctors only in 125 years.
During the discussion also was presented a positive experience of the implementation of primary care in the cities of Kamyanets – Podilsky (Khmelnytsky region) and Komsomolsk (Poltava region).
Ala NEMERENCO, Director of University Center of Primary Health Care of the Republic of Moldova, said that as a result of successful reforms primary care was implemented in the country. This improved public access to primary health services and essential medicines, increased quality of services, was made accent on preventive measures, the rights of patients are provided. "Despite the fact that only 80% of the population have health insurance, the entire population has free access to family doctors," - the expert underlined.
Ondrey DOSTAL, Head of the Center for Health Law, Charles University in Prague informed that in the Czech Republic the term "primary care" includes, as a rule, medics of general practices, pediatricians, gynecologists and dentists. About 95% of primary care services are provided by therapists of private practice. "A typical service provider of primary care is self-employed physician or small company in the form of limited liability companies," - said the expert. He said that patients have the right to choose a doctor.
Hristo HINKOV, Chief of Mental Health Department of Institute for Public Health and Analysis, telling about the positive experience of reforms in Bulgaria and complained on problems that are still present in the health care sphere, among them - inadequate education of medical workers. He advised step by step, with joint efforts of all relevant government institutions create a European, independent and professional system of measures to improve health care sphere in Ukraine.
During the discussion the audience had the opportunity to watch online–presentation of a representative of the Ministry of Health of Turkey, who told about the main features of the Turkish health care system, whose development was based on careful study of systems of other nations.
We hope that foreign experience, represented by the project will be used by Ukrainian expert community to implement socially important for the country reforms. All materials of the event you can find on our website in our "International Dialogue” section.
The participants – famous doctors, officials and experts discussed the lessons of implementation of the reform in the healthcare sphere in Czech Republic, Moldova and Bulgaria, and the importance of international experience for Ukraine.
Head of Supervisory Council of Open Ukraine Foundation Tereza YATSENIUK mentioned that it’s not the first time when the issue of primary care is raised: “A number of round–tables, conferences and discussions were held during last ten years. The question is still actual and very important to our country, taking into consideration that death rate is bigger than birth rate and the Ukraine’s population is reducing”. She expressed hope that the experience of other countries will provide with knowledge for successful reforms in the health care sphere in Ukraine.
Ms. Yatseniuk stressed the importance of family doctors, who know the health problems history of whole family and can help in time.
Yevhen BYSTRYTSKYI, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation assured that his organization will support the participation of NGOs in implementing reforms, accumulation of best practices, protecting patients' rights. He informed that the Renaissance Foundation is developing the project "Bridge of reforms" - the exchange of experience of post-Soviet countries, including health care sphere.
Mykola HOBZEY, Head of the Department of Medical Assistance of Ministry for Health of Ukraine stressed on the importance of support from officials who deal with public health in Ukraine. "The experience of foreign colleagues is very important, because the Ukrainian legislation in the health sector needs immediate improvement. Using the experience of neighboring countries we can avoid many mistakes,"- he said.
According to Mykola POLISHCHUK’s words, former Minister’s of Health of Ukraine, in United Kingdom implementation of family doctors has reduced death rate to 6%. The expert is convinced that one family doctor can serve 1, 5 thousand people.
Mr. POLISHCHUK assumes that because of absence of family doctors, people often consult in pharmacies and often buy unnecessary medicines. Mykola Polishchuk underlined, that Ukrainians spend about 20 billion hryvnas for medicines and 40% - expenses which could be avoided. “Doctors are not able themselves to implement reforms, economists must do it" - he mentioned.
Igor POKANEVYCH, Deputy Head of the World Health Organization in Ukraine, said, that Ukraine is far behind its neighbors in the health care sphere and this is reflected in many other areas of Ukrainian society. He informed, that the expenses for primary health care in Ukraine are 6 – 10 % of the total budget and only 17% of doctors are working on primary care level.
Oleg MUSIY, President of the Ukrainian Medical Association, Head of the Public Council at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, suggested to create a public authority, which will work only on reforms of health care sphere. Also he noted that nowadays Ukrainians need more information about health care sphere: “A person must now what is awaiting for him in several years”. Mr. Musiy said that there are 8000 family doctors today in Ukraine, but half of them are at the retirement age. He believes that because of the current rate of graduation of medical workers, Ukraine will be provided by family doctors only in 125 years.
During the discussion also was presented a positive experience of the implementation of primary care in the cities of Kamyanets – Podilsky (Khmelnytsky region) and Komsomolsk (Poltava region).
Ala NEMERENCO, Director of University Center of Primary Health Care of the Republic of Moldova, said that as a result of successful reforms primary care was implemented in the country. This improved public access to primary health services and essential medicines, increased quality of services, was made accent on preventive measures, the rights of patients are provided. "Despite the fact that only 80% of the population have health insurance, the entire population has free access to family doctors," - the expert underlined.
Ondrey DOSTAL, Head of the Center for Health Law, Charles University in Prague informed that in the Czech Republic the term "primary care" includes, as a rule, medics of general practices, pediatricians, gynecologists and dentists. About 95% of primary care services are provided by therapists of private practice. "A typical service provider of primary care is self-employed physician or small company in the form of limited liability companies," - said the expert. He said that patients have the right to choose a doctor.
Hristo HINKOV, Chief of Mental Health Department of Institute for Public Health and Analysis, telling about the positive experience of reforms in Bulgaria and complained on problems that are still present in the health care sphere, among them - inadequate education of medical workers. He advised step by step, with joint efforts of all relevant government institutions create a European, independent and professional system of measures to improve health care sphere in Ukraine.
During the discussion the audience had the opportunity to watch online–presentation of a representative of the Ministry of Health of Turkey, who told about the main features of the Turkish health care system, whose development was based on careful study of systems of other nations.
We hope that foreign experience, represented by the project will be used by Ukrainian expert community to implement socially important for the country reforms. All materials of the event you can find on our website in our "International Dialogue” section.
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