KYIV. Sept 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Germany’s Fresenius Medical Care, the manufacturer of products and services for patients with impaired kidney function, is mulling the possibility of resuming the investment program on construction of a chain of hemodialysis centers with a total cost of EUR 30 million if government’s bills on healthcare reform (No. 6327) are adopted and the rules for procurement of healthcare services is launched.
Fresenius Medical Care Ukraine Director Volodymyr Podvorny told reporters on Thursday that under the investment program approved in 2008, it was planned to build 10 hemodialysis centers in different regions of Ukraine where the hemodialysis services will be provided in line with newest international recommendations and standards.
“Under this program we have opened two centers – in Chernihiv and Cherkasy. They have been working since 2009. Then the program was frozen. We are ready to resume this program if bills on healthcare reform that will give an opportunity to purchase healthcare services are adopted. Money will really go after patients, and they will be able to choose a clinic,” he said.
At the same time, he predicts that the adoption of the relevant bills will significantly increase investment in the health sector.
Podvorny said that “hemodialysis is an area that is completely ready for the introduction of public procurement of healthcare services, first of all, due to the fact that the legislative base is completely ready for it.”
“Since 2011, the officially approved methodology for calculating the cost of hemodialysis, as well as approved protocols and standards of treatment, has been in effect. There is a register of patients that allows you to understand the scope of services,” he said.
Podvorny said that, according to the officially approved methodology for calculating the cost of hemodialysis services, its cost in the Fresenius hemodialysis centers of is UAH 1,910, while in other private clinics it is about UAH 2,000. At the same time, according to him, state-owned clinics often “have no understanding of the cost of hemodialysis services.”
