Healthcare in Ukraine is supposedly free and available to all citizens and registered long-term residents. Private healthcare is also available in the country.

All employed citizens contribute to the healthcare system. The Government of Ukraine oversees the health service and all citizens are entitled by law to equal access to healthcare.

The State System

Healthcare in Ukraine is funded almost entirely by general government revenues; this fund makes up 7.4 percent of the fund. 3.2 percent of the fund is made up by social insurance contributions from the wages of the employed and 3.3 percent is funded by private clinics and their private patients.

Dependant family members are covered by the contributions paid by employed family members. The unemployed, old age pensioners and people on long-term sickness benefit or maternity leave have to pay healthcare contributions but not as much as an employed citizen.

Foreigners immigrating to Ukraine without jobs must produce proof of private health insurance in order to obtain their residence permit.

If you are self-employed, you need to get additional insurance to cover members of your family and you must pay the full contribution to cover yourself.

The state fund covers most medical services including treatment by specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth and rehabilitation.

Fees

The state, in theory provides free healthcare for its citizens and long term residents who become ill; however this is a serious problem for many parts of the country.

Doctors’ wages are extremely low and often ask for a fee. This makes healthcare difficult, as many citizens are on a low income.

Doctors and Health Centres

Doctors are known as a likar and are the first point of contact with the Ukrainian health system.

Citizens can register with the doctor of their choice, however, people seeking state medical care must make sure that their doctor is contracted into the health scheme.

If you are treated by a doctor whether or not the doctor is covered by the state you will have to pay a fee.