Session 22

Health in a time of war - reforms, resilience and recovery in Ukraine

Organised by the Country Office in Ukraine, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe

Since 2014, Ukraine has embarked on numerous reforms in health financing, primary health care, digitalisation, and e-health, among other areas. This transformation continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and since the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This year, as Ukraine embarks on accession negotiations with the European Union, its health system transformation continues towards Universal Health Coverage. Emphasis has been placed on public health and health security, adapting health services to the growing needs in mental health and rehabilitation services, as well as combatting non-communicable diseases. The demographic shifts caused by war, population movements, and rising inequalities heightens the challenges. Robust democratic institutions and processes, coupled with principles of good governance, are essential to sustaining progress within Ukraine’s health sector.