The Government approved the boundaries of hospital districts in 11 Oblasts (Regions) and in the city Kyiv and gave the go-ahead for regions to establish hospital councils, prepare 5-year strategic plans, and encourage investments in the health care industry. The outcomes of the Government's meeting were commented so by Deputy Minister of Health Pavlo Kovtonyuk.

"The regions which were the first to start reforms and which are looking at the development of the network of their health care institutions from the strategic point of view are quite aware that they will win and will be prepared in terms of quality for the introduction of the insurance medicine. I am sure they will be the first to get support from the Government in terms of funding and encouragement of investments both for the health care infrastructure and the repair of roads for patients to be able to get to hospitals. The regions in which they failed to reach an agreement on the boundaries of hospital districts should make all efforts to hold an efficient discussion, adopt a decision, and go to the next stage - planning. If that way is not travelled, they will have to assume responsibility to the communities for medical provision for them. The community always has an option: to start the improvement and modernisation of health care institutions, the formation of new patients' routes, the introduction of order in the industry or leave it as it is. However, it should be kept in mind that the transition to paid health care will make the maintenance of inefficient hospitals unaffordable for local budgets", Pavlo Kovtonyuk noted.

He reminded that the districts were established in accordance with Resolution No. 932 "On Approval of the Procedure for Establishment of Hospital Districts" as approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. During the determination of hospital districts, the territorial peculiarities of Oblasts (geographical, lines of communication) were taken into account in order to make high-quality health care accessible. All projects were discussed at the local level and approved by the Ministry of Health in terms of compliance with the requirements of the Resolution.

Regarding the determination of those health care institutions that would be included in one or other district, Pavlo Kovtonyuk explained that it would be done still in 2017 by hospital councils which knew their infrastructure much better. "They will prepare the hospital district development plans and establish a network with the detailed list of institutions comprising the hospital district. We, in our turn, will provide them with updated requirements to the level I and level II hospitals", the Deputy Minister said.

Draft documents for the remaining regions are in the making. Some Oblasts (Regions) recalled the proposals earlier submitted to the Ministry for refinement (Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Mykolayiv). Proposals submitted by three Oblasts - Lviv, Volynska, and Sumy - failed to meet the requirements approved in Resolution No. 932 and were sent back for refining.  

The list of Oblasts (Regions) for which the composition of hospital districts is approved:

Dnipropetrovsk – 5
Zhytomyr - 4  
Zaporizhia - 5  
Kyiv – 4
Luhansk - 3
Poltava - 4
Rivne - 3
Ternopil - 4
Kherson - 4
Khmelnytskyi - 3
Chernihiv - 4
the city of Kyiv – 1