23 February 2016, 09:55
The participants in the roundtable were people's deputies of Ukraine, representatives of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, higher medical education establishments, representatives of embassies, travel organizations engaged in "medical tourism," lawyers, attorneys, representatives of insurance companies, specialists from international clinics, as well as civil activists and representatives of international organizations.
The moderator and initiator of the event was Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health/people's deputy of Ukraine Iryna Sysoenko.
"I initiated this event to draw attention of the public to the problems and quality of treatment Ukrainian citizens receive abroad, to the protection of rights of our citizens," Sysoenko said.
According to information announced during the roundtable, Ukrainian patients are sent for treatment abroad at the expense of the state budget under the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 991 dated December 8, 1995 "On approving Provision on order of sending for treatment abroad."
Citizens of Ukraine are sent to foreign clinics under the budget program entitled "Treatment of Ukrainian citizens abroad" mainly to obtain medical care of specialists in blood cancer, cancer, neurosurgery, cardiac diseases and congenital anomalies, if respective care cannot be provided in Ukraine. According to Sysoenko, in this case Ukrainian citizens face a difficulty in finding a quality medical establishment abroad.
The participants in the event noted that Ukraine still does not have mechanisms of influence on the activity of mediating structures engaged in provision of medical services, price-based examination of services of foreign medical establishments.
Dr. Rezat Dabak from the Secretariat of Istanbul for health care and Araz Calilov from the center of international patients presented Turkey's experience in treatment of foreign citizens and the system of accompanying and protection of their rights. Eddie Norman from Israel, a representative of the Global medical organization, told about international rights of the patients. At the same time, Vitenis Kalibatas presented opportunities of cooperation between the Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine in the sector of medical tourism.
Non-government organizations shared their ideas, proposals and initiatives, especially in terms of promulgation of information about opportunities of treatment abroad, outlets of service and information support for Ukrainian citizens abroad.
At the end of the discussion, the roundtable participants noted the necessity for establishment of transparent conditions in the country to receive medical assistance abroad, importance of examination of quality of such treatment and provision of fair information to Ukrainian citizens in particular, via the establishment of information outlets.