As the full-scale warfare in Ukraine approaches the two-year mark, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine have signed a Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) for 2024–2025, setting out well being priorities with which WHO will help Ukraine, because the nation’s well being system works to broaden its capacity to offer well being for all, surmounting formidable challenges. 

The BCA was signed in Kyiv right this moment by Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health of Ukraine, and Dr Gundo Weiler, WHO/Europe’s Director of the Division of Country Support and Partnerships and performing Regional Emergency Director – current on behalf of Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. The new settlement units a framework for additional cooperation to take care of resilience of Ukraine’s well being system amid the warfare whereas persevering with the nation’s well being reform agenda and transferring in direction of well being system restoration.

“The evolving health situation, heavily impacted by the war, requires both immediate life-saving services and a continuum of care across the country. Amid the ongoing war, we will continue to work hand in hand with the Government of Ukraine and other partners to support the health response to the war, implementing health system reforms and designing comprehensive recovery programmes,” defined Dr Weiler.

“For nearly 2 years now, WHO has supported the Ukrainian health system on multiple fronts, from providing crucial medical and health supplies and hardware to ensuring access to essential services for the people of Ukraine, including and especially those hardest to reach,” mentioned Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “By signing the new collaborative agreement with the Ministry of Health, WHO will support Ukraine in further strengthening the country’s health system and responding to the challenges posed by the war, providing humanitarian assistance along with strategic advice on continued health sector reforms and recovery efforts.”

“WHO is a long-term strategic partner of Ukraine and of our Ministry. The signing of the new cooperation agreement will continue the history of our fruitful cooperation to maintain the stability of the medical system despite the challenges of a full-scale war and continue the process of reforming the industry. High-quality, affordable and free health care for Ukrainians is our common goal,” mentioned Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine.

Grounded within the European Programme of Work, which guides the work of WHO/Europe and its nation places of work regionwide, together with WHO’s thirteenth General Programme of Work and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the settlement will improve collaboration between WHO and Ukraine within the following areas: 

• efficient and well timed emergency response companies 
• built-in package deal of well being companies for all, targeted on major care 
• environment friendly well being system with honest and equitable financing 
• stopping future illness outbreaks 
• decreasing main danger elements related to noncommunicable illnesses
• sustainable and wholesome societies  
• strengthening well being establishments as a key contributor to Ukraine’s EU accession course of.

Through the settlement, WHO will help Ukraine in assembly the pressing and urgent direct and oblique well being emergency wants triggered by the warfare. WHO and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine may even work in direction of additional implementation of well being reforms to create a more practical, people-centred, resilient and accountable well being system that may adapt to rising wants and ship high-quality companies to all. 

In specializing in rebuilding and strengthening the well being system, WHO and the Government of Ukraine will work in direction of guaranteeing entry to important companies comparable to rehabilitation, major well being care, and public well being surveillance, and growing monetary safety of the Ukrainian individuals when it comes to affordability of well being care, together with entry to medicines and companies. The collaborative settlement additionally goals to accentuate and broaden the supply of technical help to Ukraine in comparison with earlier years.

Ultimately, the BCA will operationalize the strategic priorities set out within the newly developed Country Cooperation Strategy, outlining how WHO in Ukraine will proceed working carefully with the Government of Ukraine in implementing well being priorities together with nationwide restoration, and growth agendas by 2030.