28 March 2005

EU Project “Health Financing and Management in Ukraine “ has launched Discussion Club regular sessions in Kharkiv and Zhytomyr oblasts

According to the results of the social study conducted by the Project “Health Financing and Management in Ukraine” in pilot regions in August 2004 it turned out that public authorities , healthcare community , population of Zolochiv and Popilnya Rayons need more detailed information on healthcare reform in general as well as on tasks and directions of the Project implementation in particular. The Project is planning to take a number of actions that will help to increase public awareness of the future changes in the healthcare sphere in both rayons. A number of Discussion Clubs have been established. They will take place once/twice per month in rayon centers: Zolochiv, Kharkiv oblast and Popilnya, Zhytomyr oblast. The most important issues related to healthcare provision in the rayon, problems arising in the course of the Project implementation as well as main issues discussed during workshops-trainings given by the Project will be discussed there. Topics are defined following pilots' demand and conducted training courses, for example, assessment of the services, contracting, new IT, etc.

The meetings of the first Discussion club Control over Expanses and Efficiency Increase – Tools for Improving Healthcare in Ukraine took place on 25 February 2005 in Popilnya, Zhytomyr oblast and on 23 March 2005 in Zolochiv, Kharkiv oblast.

Managers of state and healthcare facilities of the rayon and the largest villages, local and oblast journalists took part in the club meetings. Specialists who took part in workshop training, economists, heads of rural healthcare ambulatories of the rayon were also invited to take part in the discussion. At the end of the meetings a surveys were conducted. A questionnaire consisted of 5 questions which could help to define the participants' level of understanding of the necessity of radical changes in the healthcare system, commitment to the existing system or heath insurance, information sources, and to see if their public awareness had increased in the course of the discussion and to define topics for the next meetings.

Besides, the Project together with Women Community International Organization launched a special issue of The “Simeynyy Likar+” (Family Doctor) newspaper . The issue is for healthcare managers, public and local authorities, practitioners.

Within 2005 it is planned to publish 6 issues of the newspaper which will inform on the Project's activity, provide doctors with interesting professional information and cover various aspects of healthcare reform including international experience. A special section will be devoted to general public.

	GVG/CII/ EPOS
This project is funded by the European Union Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus 10 Kruhlo-Universytetska St, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01024 Tel: +38 (044) 462 00 10 Fax: +38 (044) 462 09 20	A project implemented by GVG/CII/ EPOS Project office Kiev 59-b, 40-letiya (sorokaletiya) Oktyabrya prospect Kiev local clinic hospital 10 Tel.: 380-44-265-32-83 380-44-257-24-42 Fax: 380- 44-257-36-76 www.healthfin.kiev.ua	This project is funded by the EUROPEAN UNION. The European Union numbers 25 Member States: 25 different nations deter-mined to shape their future closely together. Over a period of enlargement of 40 years, they have, together, built a zone of peace, stability, progress and solidarity. The European Union is a model for overcoming conflict and promoting reconciliation through close co-operation to achieve common goals, while respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity. But the EU is not focused on itself: its ambition is to share its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders. The European Commission is the EU's executive body.