OREANDA-NEWS. March 26, 2013. On a difficult situation in medicine and the need for its deep modernization, technical re-equipment, staff support debated almost from the first years of independence, but practical changes came only in 2010, Health Minister Raisa Bohatyryova said, speaking in Parliament during the Hour of questions to the Government. President Viktor Yanukovych, the Minister stressed, in initiated by him reform program identified health reform as one of the priorities.

Initiated by the head of state reform strategy in the medical field completely harmonized with the European policy for health – Health 2020, said the head of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. On it basis we developed a nationwide draft program "Health-2020. Ukrainian dimension. According to Raisa Bohatyriova, this document almost ready to reviewing and approving by MPs.

"The first stage of changes, doubtless, painful and requires large amounts of finance. But at this stage real new structure, new mechanisms and algorithms functioning healthcare are tasted," Raisa Bohatyryova said. Minister of Health reminded that health reform was launched in four pilot regions: Vinnytsya, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk Regions and Kyiv. Gained experience, including some negative points, allows implementing changes more systematically. Raisa Bohatyryova expressed the belief that further changes should be based on a continuous dialogue between the authorities and the professional medical community in each region.

"We’ve started from basic elements: primary health care and emergency aid. According to the plan of reforms in the pilot regions, the priority is the development of primary health care with the creation of a network of institutions with installation of advanced equipment and securing such institutions with family doctors. Medical institutions of primary, secondary and tertiary level should be divided by function and, doubtless, will be reorganized," the Minister said.

According to her, during 2011-2012 the network of primary healthcare in the pilot regions almost completed. Where clinic adequately equipped the number of appeals increased for preventive purposes to 17%, it is also observed reduction in calls of medical emergencies by 15%. Raisa Bohatyryova assured that in 2013 experience of creating centers of primary health care will be extended to other regions.

"However, we understand that we should continue to conduct intensive work to ensure centers of primary health care with family doctors. This year we will reclassify three thousand medical workers to work in primary care and increase public order in medical schools with a specialization "family doctor", Raisa Bogatyryova said.

She also reminded that completion of primary health care is planned for 2020, when the transition to primary health care based on general practice - family medicine to be held across the country.

"With the expansion of family medicine is closely linked with another promising area of reforming the entire sphere - prevention of disease," Raisa Bogatyryova said. She stressed that a key priority of the national health policy should be promotion of a healthy lifestyle as the basis of a new culture of high quality life and change of values in health care.

In addition, according to the Minister, this year implementing a new emergency medical care on the basis of the new law "On emergency medical care" has been begun. In all territories Center for Emergency and Disaster Medicine have been set. In 2013, will be formed points of placing emergency crews and dispatchers services.
 
Preparatory work for the stage of formation of secondary level of quality care has already carried out, Raisa Bogatyryova informed.

She emphasized that the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Government pays great attention to decent remuneration of medical workers and enhance their social status as a major means of improving the situation of human resources in domestic medicine. In 2012, in the pilot regions wage of workers of centers of primary health care has increased by 50%.

"That is reform of healthcare - is the first and necessary stage in a long-term policy of the national health care system," R. Bohatyryova summarized.