The Ministry of Health Care of Ukraine informs that the number of prescriptions given to patients within the Affordable Medicine Program is increasing to approximately 150,000 each month. In October, doctors have given almost 1,800,000 prescriptions that enabled patients to get medicine entirely for free or for an inconsiderable payment.
Overall, during the eight month of the program implementation progress, doctors have given 10 mln prescriptions equivalent to the total sum of UAN 390 mln. As of the end of November, every third pharmacy in Ukraine takes part in the Affordable Medicine Program and the number of pharmacies is increasing each month for an average of 50 new participants.
Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions are holding leading positions in the program implementation process. However, the situation is slightly worse in Chernivtsi, Sumy, and Luhansk regions.
Affordable Medicine governmental program is one of the constituents of healthcare reform. It allows patients to get access to medicine for treatment of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and bronchial asthma either for free or a for small payment.
To get “affordable medicine”, a patient should get a prescription from the doctor and then go to the hospital that participates in the Affordable Medicine Program.
In 2017, the government allocated UAN 700 mln of the state budget on the Affordable Medicine Program.
Further information about the program can be found at https://goo.gl/mAe5mq and http://liky.gov.ua
The map of pharmacies participating in the program can be found here: https://goo.gl/dCEMCw
Source: Ministry of Health Care of Ukraine