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Today in Warsaw, Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine, participated in the COP23 PEPFAR joint planning meeting for Ukraine and the Global Fund's national dialogue with civil society, local and international partners and official representatives of the headquarters. The purpose of the event is to develop a project for submitting an operational plan for Ukraine for 2023 (COP23) and preliminary work on Ukraine's application for funding from the Global Fund for 2024-2026 for the implementation of programs to ensure sustainable counteraction to the HIV and tuberculosis epidemic in Ukraine in the context of russia's war against Ukraine and in the post-war period.

Based on the results of the meetings held in Warsaw and in the continuation of the dialogue with Dr. John N. Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador, at-large and special representative for global health diplomacy, launched in December 2022 during the visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to the United States, the allocation of total funding to Ukraine by PEPFAR in the amount of USD 118.5 million for a period of two years (2024-2025) was announced, of which USD 59.5 million is planned to be allocated in 2024 and another USD 59 million in 2025. Two-year funding will be introduced for the first time. In addition, the Global Fund also announced the allocation of USD 157 million in aid for 2024-2026. 

“The full-scale military aggression of the russian federation has posed direct and indirect challenges to Ukraine and its medical system. In addition to the obvious daily horrors of war, we also have to deal with such consequences as fuel shortages, inflation, destruction of infrastructure and the energy system, and so on. And we are adequately overcoming these challenges. Of course, with the huge support of our international partners, who demonstrate their solidarity and unite in the struggle for the values of a democratic world. Thank you for helping the medical system, which, due to joint efforts, has survived and continues to work, providing the necessary medical care to Ukrainian patients,” Viktor Liashko said, starting his speech on the topic “Healthcare system of Ukraine in the process of war, victory, reform and restoration: challenges and plans”.

The minister elaborated on the scale of losses suffered by the medical system and the main challenges:

• 20 % of people do not seek medical help due to a full-scale war and forced migration;
• 1,345 medical facilities were damaged;
• 176 objects of medical institutions are completely destroyed and cannot be restored;
• 106 civilian medical workers were killed, 33 of them at the workplace;
• about 2,663 medical evacuations of military and civilian personnel to 28 countries were carried out;
• approximately 3,500 medical evacuations take place within the country every week. 

“Now the main task of the healthcare sector is to serve as a reliable rear for defenders and ensure universal access to medical services for all citizens. The priority for us is the strategic movement towards reform and European integration, the strategic leadership of the Ministry in shaping policies and managing the medical system. Absolutely all decisions are based on three key indicators: quality, availability and free medical care,” the minister stressed.

In addition, they discussed strengthening the readiness to respond to new possible challenges: 

• strengthening coordination in civil protection;
• enhanced ability to respond to CBRN threats (radiation, chemical, and biological);
• revision of approaches to the formation and management of reserves.