By KYIV. Sept 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ministry of Health does not support the proposals of the Ministry of Education and Science submitted for public discussion to reform branches of knowledge and specialties.
“The Ministry of Health does not support the updated list of branches of knowledge and specialties set out in it,” the Ministry of Health said on its website.
The ministry, in particular, does not agree that in the list of branches of knowledge and specialties proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science for which students will be trained, the Public Health specialty is combined with the Occupational Safety specialty and is classified in the Services field of knowledge.
In addition, the Health and Social Welfare field of knowledge does not include the Medical Psychology and Pediatrics specialties.
“The Public Health specialty belongs to the field of knowledge 22 Healthcare and its attribution to the Services field is incorrect,” the Ministry of Health said.
In addition, the Ministry of Health insists that “the Medical Psychology specialty must be included in the list of branches of knowledge and specialties for which students are trained.”
“Given the long war in Ukraine, the need for medical personnel, in particular, rehabilitation specialists who will be involved in the rehabilitation of injured military and civilian Ukrainians, is growing. In 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers increased the number of state order places for the training of specialists in psychological and rehabilitation specialties. Volumes state orders for the Medical Psychology specialty will increase in 2024,” the Ministry of Health said.
The Ministry of Health also recalled that the Pediatrics specialty is a universal specialty.
“According to the Center for Medical Statistics of the Ministry of Health, in Ukraine there is a shortage of pediatric doctors of more than 1,200 people, especially in front-line and de-occupied territories. Therefore, the training of pediatric doctors in conditions of the full-scale war is a priority issue for ensuring the security of the country and its future. Termination of specialized training of pediatricians in medical education institutions will lead to a deterioration in the quality of medical care for children and an increase in child mortality in the country,” experts from the Ministry of Health believe.
In addition, the ministry said that “combining into one area of knowledge such areas as Health and Social Security is inappropriate.”
“The Ministry of Health approached the Ministry of Education and Science with a proposal to finalize the list of branches of knowledge and specialties and take into account the position of the Ministry of Health,” the Ministry of Health said.
