Healthcare service is basic in every hromada. The programme of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on the rural healthcare reform concerns not only the formation of a capable network and obligatory presence of doctors in outpatient clinics, but also introduction of new approaches that are currently operating in many countries around the world. This is the experience of Canada, Croatia, Germany, and other European countries that use telemedicine to provide timely and high-quality healthcare services to their citizens, said Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services.

"Together with our international partners, the World Bank and the Government of Canada, we have worked out a primary healthcare network. Networks of primary healthcare have already been agreed in 17 oblasts, another 7 are waiting for approval. But the main issue is that, with the example of new projects, we want to show the standard of healthcare service provision in the countryside. This is not just an outpatient clinic or equipment, it is first of all a specialised doctor, who knows the treatment protocol, procedures and can help any person at a critical moment, using telemedicine," said Hennadii Zubko.

He said that MinRegion has developed and approved the recommendations and standards for the construction of mono-practice outpatient clinics with one doctor, group practice clinics with 3-7 doctors, housing and transport provision, and introduction of new forms of telemedicine.

"Ukraine is already implementing the E-health programme on contract conclusion. But a component of this programme, which will work as an E-konsalt, is of great importance for us. This is a programme that will allow family doctors to communicate with the second level specialist: a cardiologist, an ophthalmologist or another doctor, who can provide professional counseling," noted Hennadii Zubko.

According to him, introduction of high-quality healthcare in rural areas is extremely important today. The state of the healthcare infrastructure in the village is terrible. 82% of rural health posts and outpatient clinics in Ukraine do not have water supply and 75% have no sewage and sanitary conditions. "It's not possible to talk about upgrading or repairing the existing infrastructure. Therefore, today we are step-by-step moving with the developed route map, which involves introducing high-quality primary healthcare in the village with specialised doctors, who will be primarily closer to people," said the Vice Prime Minister.