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Agreements on cooperation and additional funding between the Ministry of Health and international partners were reached during the visit of the Council of Europe Development Bank mission to Ukraine in August. The Bank’s Managing Director Carlo Monticelli and Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko discussed interaction and strengthening cooperation in the healthcare sector during the war.

“The healthcare infrastructure and access to medical services in Ukraine have been severely damaged and deteriorated as a result of russia’s brutal aggression. 1,468 medical facilities have already been damaged, and another 193 have been completely destroyed, meaning they cannot be restored. Our goal is to provide Ukrainians with access to medical care despite all the challenges. I am sincerely grateful to our international partners, in particular the Council of Europe Development Bank, for their reliable support and assistance in achieving this goal,” emphasized Viktor Liashko.

The Council of Europe Development Bank has approved a EUR 100 million loan to help rebuild the healthcare system and meet urgent healthcare needs. The loan will be used to support the Healthcare Enhancement and Lifesaving (HEAL Ukraine) Project, developed by the World Bank in cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities and designed to bring together development partners.

“Today marks an important milestone in our work with Ukraine to rebuild the country. Our first loan to the Ministry of Health aims to restore and improve access to essential health services, including mental health, and is an important step towards a sustainable recovery for the people of Ukraine,” said Carlo Monticelli.

The key areas of cooperation will focus on meeting Ukraine’s priority healthcare needs. The funds will be used to implement existing projects and launch new ones. The funding will help strengthen primary health care and support mobile teams that provide basic medical services in the war-affected regions of the country, as well as in remote areas. The project includes the repair of damaged medical facilities and will help address new urgent healthcare needs, including those related to mental health. In the long term, it will increase the resilience of Ukraine’s healthcare sector through targeted investments in eHealth and the introduction of new features for sustainable and innovative provision of medical services.

For reference: On 15 June 2023, Ukraine completed the accession process and became the 43rd member country of the Council of Europe Development Bank. The Bank’s cooperation with Ukraine is one of the strategic goals of cooperation for 2023-2027.

The Council of Europe Development Bank was established in 1956 to help European countries address issues related to the socially targeted reintegration of refugees, displaced persons, and migrants.