Restoration of the medical system of Ukraine: challenges and prospects

Ukraine will need more than 14 billion dollars and a ten-year period to completely restore the medical system. This is due to the large-scale destruction caused by the Russian troops, who not only destroyed hospitals, but also tried to destroy "emergency rooms", pharmacies, and take away equipment and medicines.

This statement was made by the Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko during the International Conference on the Restoration of Ukraine (URC2024), which was held in Berlin. According to him, the cost of restoring the medical sphere of Ukraine, based on the already recorded losses, is more than 14 billion dollars for the next 10 years.

"Russia is trying to destroy not only our hospitals, but also destroys our "emergency rooms", pharmacies, takes away equipment and medicines, kills our doctors. The total losses of the medical field from the war are colossal - at least 17.8 billion dollars," Lyashko emphasized.

In addition, Russian forces were reported to have damaged 161 ambulances, destroyed 261 emergency vehicles and captured another 125.

As a result of enemy shelling, 1,618 medical facilities were damaged, and 214 of them were completely destroyed. Hospitals in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv and other regions were the most affected. These losses have a serious impact on the availability and quality of health services for the population in these regions.

The Minister of Health emphasized the critical importance of the support of international partners for the restoration and development of the Ukrainian system of free medical care. Cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations helps to implement reforms and provide the population with necessary medical services in conditions of war.

The support of the international community is a key factor in restoring the medical infrastructure and ensuring the stable functioning of the medical system of Ukraine. This will allow not only to restore the lost capacities, but also to create a more sustainable and effective health care system for future generations.