By KYIV. Dec 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – One of the reasons for the reduction of budget financing of Ukraine’s healthcare system in 2023 was the refusal to finance the fight against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Head of the National Health Service of Ukraine Natalia Husak explained so the reduction in funding by 9.55% provided for in the 2023 state budget compared to 2022, to UAH 142 billion.
"In 2022, there was an unprecedented amount of funding, this is UAH 157 billion of budget funds. In 2023, the amount of funding for the Medical Guarantee Program [MGP] is undergoing downward changes. In fact, we purchase medical services in the amount of UAH 142 billion, but these funds will be more than enough in order to cover all purchases of medical services," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Husak noted that the reduction is due to the fact that in 2022 the budget included a large amount of funding for hospital treatment of COVID-19.
"In 2022, we see that in fact these funds were not used, since the Ukrainians made a choice towards vaccination and, in fact, the number of patients who now need treatment has significantly decreased compared to the forecast volumes," she explained.
At the same time, Husak stressed that in the context of reduced MGP funding, medical institutions and their owners, including local communities, will have to ensure that "every penny of budget funds reaches patients so that it does not end up in unnecessary purchases of equipment."
