Public debates in Berdychiv rayon

Public debates on “Secondary healthcare reform: current situation and following steps” were held on 8 July 2009 in Berdychiv 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 attended by: deputy head of Zhydomyr OSA healthcare department, Mr. Torbas Olexandr; team leader of the Project “Support to secondary healthcare reform in Ukraine”, Ms. Abovskaya Oxana; Project PR expert, Mrs. Luchsheva Natalia; head of Berdychiv rayon public administration, Mr. Bakanovsky Leonid; deputy head of Berdychiv rayon public administration, Mr. Babijchuck Valery; deputy head of Berdychiv rayon rada (rayon council), Mr. Polishchuk Anatoliy; chairman of the board of international journalistic association “Zdorovja bez kordoniv” (Health without limits), Mr. Gorbasenko Igor; chairman of the civic movement foundation “Ukrainians against TB”, Mr. Rudenko Vitaly; medical workers of Berdychiv rayon; head of the civil board at healthcare department of Zhytomyr OSA, Mr. Melnychuk Anatoly; economists and lawyers of Berdychiv rayon; representatives of NGOs and journalists of local mass media. In general, the meeting was attended by more than 100 people.

During the introduction sequence, Mr. Babijchuck, deputy head of Zhydomyr OSA healthcare department, stated: “…while fixing problems of the healthcare system, one should use advanced European experience. The process of reforming should cover the whole community because otherwise the idea to be delivered to broad layers of population will not have consequent development. The today’s event was organized exactly for this reason”.

Debates considered the following issues:

• Status of the healthcare system in Zhytomyr oblast
• Status of the healthcare system in Berdychiv rayon: issues of concern
• Roles and authorities of the local self-administration bodies
• Development of family medicine
• Objectives and main guidelines from the EU Project “Support to secondary healthcare reform in Ukraine