A joint recommendation letter of MinRegion and the Ministry of Health with a clear route map and step-by-step instructions on the formation of a primary healthcare network in rural areas will be prepared for the regions. Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, informed about this at the meeting on rural healthcare development, chaired by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

“Healthcare is one of the basic services in the rural area, and our key task is to improve its quality. After all, it is in rural areas that over 35% of Ukraine’s population live, when in the European countries this index ranges from 5% to 7%. Our main goal is to build a network in the rural area in accordance with the methodology that will provide a high-quality healthcare service for the population. Those who will be the first to build the network and implement its best model either within the AH or rayon, and propose a plan for the implementation of law 7117, will reach an active cooperation between the Government, hromadas and local authorities,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to Mr Zubko, the concept of law 7117 provides for establishment of the network of primary healthcare institutions in rural areas with a high-quality service. “The newly established network will combine the primary, secondary and tertiary links of healthcare, including telemetric data transmission at medical examination. To do this, it is necessary to launch the E-Health electronic base, create an Internet-based network in each village with the involvement of local libraries and educational institutions,” said the Vice Prime Minister.

“It includes existing facilities inventory, definition of capable territories, construction of new outpatient clinics, provision of Internet-based network, creation of a motivational package for healthcare personnel, transport support, etc. In addition to the route map and your networking proposals, we will also provide consulting assistance and launch projects necessary from the point of view of regional development within a single territorial unit,” said the official.