EU launches EUR 3 mln project to improve public health and blood safety system in Ukraine

December 13, 2019.

    On 12 December 2019, the new EU-funded project “Support to Ukraine for developing a modern Public Health System” was launched. The project assists the Government in reforming the public health sector taking into account Ukraine's international commitments in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
    "Ukraine remains one of the countries with the lowest life expectancy in Europe and has a high disease burden. Building a modern European public health system with a strong focus on disease prevention that has the well-being of all citizens as its core task thus has to be an absolute priority. Through our support, we want to share international best practices, update Ukrainian legislation and firmly implant a modern approach to public health in the Ukrainian reality. We hope the project will contribute to improving health governance and creating an efficient public health system, where all actors work towards the same goal: Delivering high quality public health functions to all Ukrainians", Virginija Dambrauskaite, Sector Manager for health of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, said.
    The project supports the Ministry of Health, the Public Health Centre, and regional public health centres by providing recommendations, drafting laws and regulations, conducting analyses, and introducing best practices of relevant EU legislation.
    “The Government of Ukraine and the Ministry want to improve the health of the population that is why we need to adapt the best international practices in public health to the Ukrainian reality. I believe that this EU project will allow to find solutions that will be included in the political agenda, strengthen wellbeing and health of the people and ensure equal access to public health services”, said Zoryana Skaletska, the Minister of Health of Ukraine.
    "We value the assistance of the EU on the Public Health system development. Modern public health is aimed at strengthening the state obligation to protect the most vulnerable and empowering the people to fulfil their potential. We believe that the project will implement this idea in the public health system in Ukraine based on the experience of European countries", - Volodymyr Kurpita, Director General of the Public Health Centre commented.
    "The purpose of the project is the alignment of the public health system in Ukraine with the one in the European Union. As a result of the project, a sustainable epidemiological surveillance system for communicable and non-communicable diseases will be created. International health regulations aimed at preventing, protecting against, controlling, and providing a public health response to the international spread of diseases will be implemented. The new national health system will become a reliable guarantee for the protection of the health of every Ukrainian", - underlined Dr Predrag Duric, Team Leader of the Project.
    The project will also support reform of blood services in Ukraine by creating a sustainable modern blood safety system that is aligned with EU requirements in this. The project will focus on improvement of the national blood quality management system, setting up donor registries and uniform standards for transfusion practices, promoting voluntary donations and establishing an independent blood competent authority.
    Background information:
    Chapter 22 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement envisages harmonisation of Ukraine`s legislation and practices in the health sector with those of the EU, in particular regarding communicable diseases, blood safety and tobacco control. Chapter 22 also refers to a broader cooperation on health reforms. The “Support to Ukraine for developing a modern Public Health System” project is implemented by GFA Consulting Group GmbH (GFA) and the Finish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in 2019 - 2022. The project budget is nearly 3 million EUR.
    For additional information, please contact project assistant Daria Demut via e-mail: Daria.Demut@gfa-group.de
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