At today’s plenary meeting of Kharkiv regional council its deputies supported the initiative of launching a regional competition of mini-projects “Effective Community-Based healthcare” and approved its regulations and provisions.

“To strengthen the powers of amalgamated communities in Kharkiv region, to develop the effective system of public healthcare services and to ensure sustainability of project “Effective community-based primary healthcare”, which is being implemented in Kharkiv region under support of the European Union, it is suggested to introduce a new competition”, explained the Head of Kharkiv regional council Serhii Chernov.

During the decentralization and delegation of new powers to local communities, including local public healthcare services, it is necessary to seek new approaches to organizing an effective healthcare system, improving the healthcare facilities conditions, creating modern working conditions for the medical staff and improving healthcare services to the public.

Competition major objectives:

• support of developing an effective system of healthcare services, introduction of healthcare development strategic plans, purchase of advanced medical devices and equipment to improve healthcare facilities conditions, organization of modern working conditions and public healthcare services, including those for the disabled;
• consolidation of local budget and other resources, not prohibited by Ukrainian law, to improve the healthcare services system;
• introduction of innovations into the public healthcare services system and improvement of their quality.

The regulations of the competition specify that its eligible participants will be local authorities which are the founders (co-founders) of healthcare facilities. Mini-projects are to be implemented in Kharkiv region, be non-profit, designed solely for equipping healthcare facilities with medical devices and equipment. It is preferable for the mini-projects to be implemented in rural areas.

The total budget of a mini-project in the Competition is up to 500 thousand hryvnias. The mini-projects must be co-funded. The maximum amount of co-funding (grant) from the regional budget may not exceed 70% of the mini-project value.

“Cooperation with local communities in healthcare reforms, introduction of innovations in the public healthcare services system and the improvement of their quality are among the top priorities for the regional council as a representative of common interests of local communities, settlements and towns of Kharkiv region”, emphasized the head of regional council Serhii Chernov.