WHO and Ministry of Health of Ukraine sign Biennial Collaborative Agreement to enhance partnership and strengthen health system resilience for 2024–2025

The BCA was signed in Kyiv by Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine, and Dr Gundo Weiler, WHO/Europe’s Director of the Division of Country Support and Partnerships and acting Regional Emergency Director – present on behalf of Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. The new agreement sets a framework for further cooperation to maintain the resilience of Ukraine’s health system amid the war while continuing the country’s health reform agenda and moving towards health system recovery.

“The evolving health situation, heavily impacted by the war, requires both immediate life-saving services and a continuum of care across the country. Amid the ongoing war, we will continue to work hand in hand with the Government of Ukraine and other partners to support the health response to the war, implementing health system reforms and designing comprehensive recovery programmes,” explained Dr Weiler.

“For nearly 2 years now, WHO has supported the Ukrainian health system on multiple fronts, from providing crucial medical and health supplies and hardware to ensuring access to essential services for the people of Ukraine, including and especially those hardest to reach,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “By signing the new collaborative agreement with the Ministry of Health, WHO will support Ukraine in further strengthening the country’s health system and responding to the challenges posed by the war, providing humanitarian assistance along with strategic advice on continued health sector reforms and recovery efforts.”

“WHO is a long-term strategic partner of Ukraine and our Ministry. The signing of the new cooperation agreement will continue the history of our fruitful cooperation to maintain the stability of the medical system despite the challenges of the full-scale war and continue the process of reforming the industry. High-quality, affordable and free health care for Ukrainians is our common goal,” said Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine.

Grounded in the European Programme of Work, which guides the work of WHO/Europe and its country offices regionwide, along with WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the agreement will enhance collaboration between WHO and Ukraine in the following areas: 

• effective and timely emergency response services 
• integrated package of health services for all, focused on primary care 
• efficient health system with fair and equitable financing 
• preventing future disease outbreaks 
• reducing major risk factors associated with noncommunicable diseases
• sustainable and healthy societies  
• strengthening health institutions as a key contributor to Ukraine’s EU accession process.

Through the agreement, WHO will support Ukraine in meeting the urgent and pressing direct and indirect health emergency needs triggered by the war. WHO and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine will also work towards further implementation of health reforms to create a more effective, people-centred, resilient and accountable health system that can adapt to emerging needs and deliver high-quality services to all. 

In focusing on rebuilding and strengthening the health system, WHO and the Government of Ukraine will work towards ensuring access to essential services such as rehabilitation, primary health care, and public health surveillance, and increasing the financial protection of the Ukrainian people in terms of affordability of health care, including access to medicines and services. The collaborative agreement also aims to intensify and expand the availability of technical assistance to Ukraine compared to previous years.

Ultimately, the BCA will operationalize the strategic priorities set out in the newly developed Country Cooperation Strategy, outlining how WHO in Ukraine will continue working closely with the Government of Ukraine in implementing health priorities along with national recovery and development agendas by 2030.