Development of Ukraine’s public health system and efforts to strengthen the national immunization programme were at the centre of a 3-day WHO-led event in Kyiv that brought together health authorities and experts in public health and immunization from across the country. Together they sought ways to address new public health challenges introduced by the war.
WHO convened the joint retreat along with the Ministry of Health, the Ukrainian Public Health Centre (UPHC), and regional centres for diseases control and prevention (CDCs).
Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, explained, “The war has brought significant challenges to Ukraine’s public health system, disrupting access to health services and medicines for Ukrainian patients. The purpose of this retreat is to gather Ukrainian public health authorities from all the levels of national public health institutions and discuss the current challenges and plans for public health system development in Ukraine during and after the war.”
He added, “It is extremely important to ensure that the regional level of the public health system is regularly and actively engaged in dialogue with the national public health authorities, as the leadership role of the regional CDCs is crucial in bringing public health services to the population and ensuring the emergency response.”
Dr Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, highlighted, “The practice of holding the retreats shows that their particular value lies in the possibility of communication and exchange of experience between representatives from the regional CDCs, as well as in establishing direct contacts with representatives of the UPHC and the Ministry of Health.”
A comprehensive public health response
The first day of the retreat focused on public health issues, including priorities in public health policy, revision of regulations related to the adoption in September 2022 of a new law on the public health system, European Union accession requirements, the mid-term programme for public health development, and approaches to ensure readiness and response in the public health sphere at national and regional levels.
The second and third days focused on the immunization programme at the subnational level, immunization monitoring and vaccine supply chain-related roles assigned to regional CDCs, and the status of endorsement of relevant national documents. Participants also took part in practical exercises on annual planning for routine immunization and microplanning for measles catch-up vaccination among children born between 2017 and 2021.
During the retreat, directors of regional CDCs along with immunization programme regional leads worked on mapping communities at high risk of a measles outbreak within each region. The event provided regions with a methodology for annual planning and vaccine stock management, as well as a measles outbreak preparedness and response plan with timelines for implementing key actions, microplanning, and mapping high-risk territories and communities within regions.
“WHO is committed to supporting Ukraine in strengthening immunization efforts, eliminating inequities in vaccine coverage, extending population access to vaccination services and mitigating risks of outbreaks. Events such as the retreat provide an essential platform for WHO and partners to come together and discuss both challenges and ways forward amid the war,” said Dr Habicht.
Partnerships for better health governance
The public health and immunization retreat was the third in a series launched by WHO in Ukraine together with the Ministry of Health, the UPHC and regional CDCs to facilitate dialogue on public health-system legislation, the response to ongoing emergencies and recovery efforts, and further steps in the development of the public health system.
The initiative serves as a platform for national public health institutions at all levels to come together to discuss emerging health issues in Ukraine. It is also an important step in the development of a well governed and well coordinated health system in the country.
In 2023, WHO and partners will host a total of 4 retreats focusing on a wide range of topics, including the implementation of the immunization programme and vaccine-preventable disease control; programmes related to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis; noncommunicable diseases surveillance and promotional activities; and others.
The retreat was organized with financial support from the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF).
