OREANDA-NEWS. June 18, 2010. Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has assigned a task to the Government to develop a comprehensive long-term program for at least of 10 years, which define the ways and means of reforming the healthcare sector in the country.

The Prime Minister has today at a meeting on the availability for the population of qualitative medicines, medical products and medical equipment.

Mykola Azarov, in particular, stressed that the program should involve the availability of health services for the population, improvement of the quality of these services, as well as medicines. "You must develop a comprehensive program that is designed not for a year but at least 10 years, and we have the opportunity for this. The first problem is, of course, the availability of health services for the population, the second - the quality of those services", he said.

The Prime Minister paid particular attention to the need to introduce the quality control of drugs.
The Prime Minister said about the restoration of vaccination system of citizens, while improving quality standards of vaccines. "We all know that during autumn-winter period we will have outbreaks of seasonal diseases. We need to prepare for this, take steps, allocate now necessary resources, prepare necessary framework", he said.

Mykola Azarov also drew attention to the fact that the contracts of purchase of new medical equipment should include trainings for Ukrainian personnel to work on it. Because, he said, now there are cases when equipment is standing idle for years due to the fact that there is no skilled staff.

He pointed out that to restore the system of controllability in health care. "We need to restore control in the healthcare, as it is now in a state of "free flight". Measures taken by ministries, regional departments of healthcare, district health departments are omnidirectional. Medical institutions have the Academy of Medical Sciences, ministries - Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defense and so on. We have common country, but we are treated differently", emphasized Mykola Azarov. And said: "It won’t be like this longer".

The Head of Government has set objectives for pharmaceutical companies to adjust their production of basic drugs. "I'm not talking about the entire spectrum, but at least to start producing essential drugs in great demand", he said.

Moreover, the Prime Minister highlighted the need for a system modernization of medical institutions. According to him, the Cabinet has already received offers from foreign companies to supply high-quality medical equipment in Ukraine and construction of modern hospitals: "Expensive, of course, clinics - about 200 million euros for each one. But something must also start? I should start not with the disparate attempts to buy something somewhere, and 2-3 to build such a clinic. One, for example, in the capital - one in Ukraine - one in Dnipropetrovsk, they catered to certain territories. But we have to start with something. Maybe should start not with the disparate attempts to buy something somewhere but with construction of 2 or 3 such clinics. One in the capital, one in Lviv, one in Dnipropetrovsk to serve in a few regions".