Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the number of adult patients in need of palliative care has been growing. This year, almost 130 thousand Ukrainians have received palliative care. This was stated by First Deputy Minister of Health Serhiy Dubrov during the National Congress on Palliative and Hospice Care, UNN reports.
Details
According to him, the number of patients who received palliative care services in 2022-2023 under two packages increased annually. In particular, about 4-6% of patients are children, but in 2022 the share of children decreased and continues to decline in 2023.
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This is due to the fact that a large number of children who needed treatment went abroad. Instead, amid the war, there has been an increase in the number of adult patients in need of palliative care. In 2023, 70,328 patients received inpatient palliative care, and 59,151 patients received mobile palliative care
It is noted that the amount of money that the NHSU reimburses to medical institutions per patient is growing annually and in 2023 will amount to almost 19 thousand hryvnias.
Addendum
The Deputy Minister of Health said that today 1,447 medical institutions are contracted by the NHSU to provide palliative care. In particular, 676 medical institutions are contracted to provide inpatient palliative care, and 771 medical institutions receive reimbursement for mobile palliative care services.
Dubrov emphasized that before palliative care was allocated as a separate package in the Medical Guarantees Program, it was provided by only a few dozen institutions across the country.
For reference
Palliative care is medical care provided to seriously ill patients. It is important to understand that the provision of such care does not lead to the patient's recovery. The goal of palliative care is to preserve the patient's dignity and improve the quality of life. The task of a palliative care physician is to provide pain relief, manage symptoms, and help the patient improve their quality of life.
Recall
The Ministry of Health has unified medical examinations for admission to school and healthcare facilities. A child can undergo all basic examinations at a family doctor.