The Project’s participation in public debates in Chudnivsky rayon

Public debates on “Secondary healthcare reform: current situation and following steps” were held on 3 July 2009 in Chudnivsky rayon of Zhytomyr oblast. They were actively supported by the Project “Support to secondary healthcare reform in Ukraine”, civic movement foundation “Ukrainians against TB”, international journalistic association “Zdorovja bez kordoniv” (Health without limits).

 
  
 The event was considered useful due to importance of discussion on reforming Ukrainian healthcare, in general, as well as the Project recommendations, in particular, by making incentives for broad layers of population to take part in this discussion.

 Debates considered the following issues:

- Modern trends for healthcare reform in Ukraine and Zhytomyr oblast
-   Objectives and main guidelines from the EU Project “Support to secondary healthcare reform in Ukraine”
- Possibilities and prospective for establishment of an inter-rayon surgical center based at Chudnivsky CRH
- Improvements in healthcare service provision process
- Financing and equipment issues for medical facilities
- Prospective advantages for population and medical workers based on implementation of the healthcare reform in Chudnivsky rayon

The event was attended by: head of Zhydomyr OSA Healthcare Department, Mr. Tolstanov Olexandr; head of Chudnivsky rayon public administration, Mr. Danylov Andriy; team leader of the Project “Support to secondary healthcare reform in Ukraine”, Ms. Abovskaya Oxana; Project PR expert, Mrs. Luchsheva Natalya; head of Chudnivsky rayon public administration and deputy head of Chudnivsky rayon public administration, Mr. Konyk Josef; head doctor of Chudnivsky CRH, Mr. Pavlyuk Leonid; chairman of the board of international journalistic association “Zdorovja bez kordoniv” (Health without limits), Mr. Gobasenko Igor; chairman of the civic movement foundation “Ukrainians against TB”, Mr. Rudenko Vitaly; medical workers of Chudnivsky rayon; head of the civil board at healthcare department of Zhytomyr OSA, Mr. Melnychuk Anatoly; representatives of rayon board of NGOs; journalists of the rayon newspaper “Chudnivska fortetsa” (Chudnivska fortress) and Zhytomyr oblast public television and radio broadcasting company.

During the introduction sequence, Mr. Tolstanov, head of Zhydomyr OSA Healthcare Department, stated: “Healthcare system reform is a complex process, where secondary healthcare reform is impossible without the same process on PHC level. General public opinion and problems of medical workers is of high importance for this process, as we can be successful in reforming only with mutual interest and support for these activities. Our task is to explain the concept of this process to all layers of population.

The concept of healthcare reform has been recently developed in Zhytomyr oblast. It defines specific measures and priorities for healthcare service quality improvement and based on an efficient result-oriented financial model for this sphere. There are following main reforming directions for the oblast: establishment of healthcare departments at rayon public administrations and city radas (city councils), consolidation of financial resources on the local level; adequate resource management; establishment of contractual procurements of medical services; legal, economic and management autonomy of all healthcare facilities and their re-organization into communal non-profit enterprises. Transfer to a global budget shall give an opportunity to coordinate and plan medical services provision in a better way, provide services of better quality and earn better rewards for medical workers’ activities. Development of replacements for inpatient technologies and services, differentiation of emergency care facilities, planned care facilities, social facilities, chronic treatment facilities and subsequent integration of hospital specialized care departments by development of inter-rayon centers and inter-territorial economic hospital associations».

Mr. Tolstanov explained that after having implemented the healthcare reform, population of Chudnivsky rayon will have expanded budget financing and medical supplies level. It will also enable a possibility of allocating costs for equipment maintenance and repairs, expanding hospitalization basis, bigger role for the public, improving healthcare services quality.

Ms. Abovskaya, the Project team leader, introduced the basic directions of the Project activities and recommendations presented by the Project experts at MOH to the audience.

Problems of healthcare services for rural population, importance and prestige of doctors, family doctors’ activities and human resourcing were brought up during discussions with representatives of medical community of Chudnivsky rayon.