Freight transportation by rail, mln tons
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Leleka Medical Center (Kyiv) has maintained its patient flow by reformatting its reproductive technology clinic and maternity hospital into a multidisciplinary medical center.
“Compared to the pre-war situation, the number of patients in absolute numbers has remained the same thanks to the reformatting of Leleka into a multidisciplinary medical center,” Vadym Zukin, the medical center’s chief operating officer, told Interfax-Ukraine.
At the same time, he noted that the number of patients in obstetrics fluctuates in proportion to the number of births in Kyiv and the region.
Leleka Multifunctional Medical Center is one of the leading Ukrainian clinics in obstetrics, gynecology, and general surgery. The medical center practices medical protocols approved in Ukraine, the United States and Western Europe. The Leleka Center for Modern Surgery provides surgical gynecology, mammology, vascular surgery (phlebology), proctology and urology, endocrine surgery, plastic, abdominal, bariatric, outpatient surgery, and endoscopy.
As reported, in 2019, Leleka was the first in Ukraine to receive JCI accreditation, one of the world’s most prestigious quality standards for medical institutions. The standard is based on the American system of medical accreditation of medical institutions based on the management of patient outcomes.
The JCI International Division accredits hospitals in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America, and now in Ukraine. JCI annually updates its accreditation standards to expand its patient safety goals.
For the fourth week in a row, the number of entry border crossings into Ukraine exceeds the number of exit border crossings: this week the difference between them amounted to 26 thousand, compared to 36 thousand a week ago and 21 thousand two weeks ago.
According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, published on Facebook, the number of exit crossings increased from 360 thousand last week to 362 thousand this week, while the number of entry crossings decreased from 396 thousand to 388 thousand.
The number of vehicles crossing the western border of Ukraine, according to the agency, in the 32nd week of the year also decreased – from 143 thousand to 141 thousand, as well as the number of processed vehicles with humanitarian goods – from 839 to 780.
The Polish Border Guard Service also recorded a slight decrease in the net inflow to Ukraine over the past seven days – to 18.8 thousand from 28.5 thousand last week and 16.5 thousand two weeks earlier.
According to the Polish Ministry, the number of those who entered Poland from Ukraine during the week decreased from 231.8 thousand to 230.2 thousand, while those traveling in the opposite direction decreased from 260.3 thousand to 249.0 thousand.
In general, since the beginning of the war, by August 11, 2023, 14.51 million people arrived in Poland from Ukraine, while 12.75 million people traveled in the opposite direction.
As reported, since May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine was replaced by an inflow, which lasted until September 23 and amounted to 409 thousand people.
However, since the end of September, possibly under the influence of news about mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, and then massive shelling of energy infrastructure, an excess of the number of those leaving over those entering was recorded. It temporarily stopped in the second half of December – early January for the period of holidays, but then resumed again and in total since the end of September by the anniversary of the full-scale war reached 223 thousand people.
From that time until today, thanks to the statistics of the last four weeks, the number of border crossings to enter Ukraine has exceeded the number of crossings to leave Ukraine by 86 thousand.
As Deputy Minister of Economy Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March, the return of every 100 thousand Ukrainians home gives a 0.5% increase in GDP.
According to the UNHCR, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of August 8 was estimated at 5.882 million, and in the whole world – at 6.240 million, which is 9 thousand more than a week ago.
In Ukraine itself, according to the UN data as of the end of May, there were 5.088m internally displaced persons.
Military conscripted citizens who are not subject to military service during mobilization and whose close relatives were killed or went missing during direct participation in the ATO will be able to cross the state border of Ukraine during martial law.
According to the website of the government portal, the corresponding changes to the rules of crossing the state border by citizens of Ukraine were introduced at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
“This is done to avoid unfair restrictions on the rights of family members of persons killed (missing) during direct participation in the ATO (from the beginning of armed aggression in 2014 and until April 30, 2018),” – stated in the message.
It is noted that under the current version of the rules during martial law the right to cross the state border have, in particular, persons whose relatives were killed or missing during participation in the ATO.
“The government has removed the restriction of the right to cross the state border during the period of martial law by persons whose relatives were killed or missing while participating in the ATO. The military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine began in 2014 and was resumed on February 24, 2022 with a massive invasion. Therefore, we must avoid unfair separation of both the Ukrainian defenders themselves – participants in military and special measures, and the rights of family members of fallen warriors”, – said the Minister for Veterans Affairs Yulia Laputina.
In Odessa officially opened areas for bathing and recuperation, reports the head of the OBA Oleg Kiper.
“Signed a joint order with the Commander of the operational strategic grouping of troops “Odessa” on the access of people to the sea,” Kiper wrote in his Telegram channel on Saturday.
The head of the OBA added that the first open zones include Caleton beach, inclusive beach, municipal beach (area of 14 Fontana), Ikra beach, Chaika beach, municipal beach (area of 10 Fontana), but the list will be supplemented as checks are passed.
Stay of people on the beaches is allowed from 08.00 to 20.00.
“During the air alarm, in the detection of suspicious objects, during a storm from 2 points, on coastal structures (piers, traverses, breakwaters), outside the areas for bathing stay of people is prohibited!”, – emphasized the head of the OBA.
In addition, mandatory is the presence of a rescue boat and mesh fences to protect against explosive objects in open areas for bathing.
“In case of necessity should be organized surveys by the diving service underwater and above-water area of the Black Sea,” – added Kiper.
On the beaches will be daily coastal cleaning, provided there is no emergency situation.
To the water area of the Black Sea exit is allowed only to rescue services.
Doctors note an increase in the number of preventive examinations and referrals related to advanced forms of diseases.
“We are now seeing an increase in the number of preventive examinations in various areas. At the same time, we have a situation with surgical interventions for more advanced forms of problems,” Vadym Zukin, chief operating officer of the Leleka multidisciplinary medical center, told Interfax-Ukraine.
He emphasized that “in 2022, many Ukrainians cared less about their health for obvious reasons.”
“We are already feeling the negative impact of the war on public health. This applies even to those who were not directly affected by the war,” said the director of the medical center.
Zukin also noted that the clinic has seen an increase in demand for pregnancy management services.
“We predict that compared to the first half of 2023, the number of births in Kyiv will gradually increase over the next six months and in early 2024, but these figures will be quite far from the pre-war levels,” he said.
At the same time, according to Zukin, Ukraine currently has a “very strange situation with vaccination,” in particular due to a shortage of vaccines.
“Everyone recognizes that it is useful, patients are willing to pay for it themselves, but there is a significant shortage of many vaccines in Ukraine,” he said.
Commenting on the prospects for regional development, particularly in the de-occupied regions, Zukin noted that he currently sees no opportunities for regional development.
“Opening regional branches of the medical center requires significant investments. Moreover, our institution is 99% funded by patients’ donations. At the same time, we need to understand that quality medicine is quite expensive. Therefore, despite our great desire to help the population of the de-occupied territories, it is too early to talk about opening branches there,” he said.
At the same time, Zukin believes that “under the current conditions, it is impossible to launch medical institutions as serious market players in those areas.”
Commenting on the effectiveness of private clinics’ participation in the national healthcare system, Zukin noted that “private medicine can be very useful for the general healthcare system due to its high management efficiency and flexibility.”
In turn, Vadym Shekman, CEO of Dobrobut Medical Network, said that one of the recent trends is that “medicine, which used to develop more actively in Kyiv, is now developing in Ukrainian regions, because there is a demand for quality medicine everywhere.”
“We are looking at this carefully not only from the perspective of potential acquisition of interesting institutions, but also from the perspective of possible partnership with regional clinics for which we can be a center of expertise. In fact, our goal and dream is to build a medical network of such a scale that high-quality medical care will be available to Ukrainians wherever they are,” he said.
Mr. Shekman noted that Dobrobut Medical Network “has always seen itself as a national player.”
“The plans to enter other cities with medical centers remain in force. The war has made adjustments to these plans, they have shifted slightly in time. We will realize these intentions after our victory,” he said.
At the same time, commenting on the possible prospects of opening clinics in the de-occupied regions, Shekman noted that “private medicine implies that a person has to pay for medical services out of his or her own pocket, and accordingly, the appropriate economic situation should be created in the de-occupied cities.”
“We would be happy to open in the liberated Ukrainian territories as soon as the opportunity arises,” he said.
In general, Shekman believes that “it is impossible to create a high-quality medical system without involving business.”
“Our state simply will not have enough money in the budget to rebuild and create the healthcare system we need. Healthcare in the world is becoming more expensive every day, and we must be ready to meet these challenges. Today, private healthcare is developing in Ukraine because there is a demand for quality healthcare and services. It cannot be said that many private healthcare facilities are now working with the NHSU, as the packages it offers do not include all costs and are lower than the cost of private clinics,” he said.
Mr. Shekman emphasized the importance of the fact that “the state has started to move towards private business.”
“To attract foreign investment, we need to create a system that is attractive to investors, so that they understand not only what to invest in, but also how they can get their money back. And this does not mean that healthcare will be exclusively paid for – in the context of competition, the cost of services usually decreases. And today, let’s be honest, there is no free medicine in Ukraine,” he said.
For his part, Serhiy Katsan, deputy director of the Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (Odesa) for Scientific and Medical Work, noted that recent trends include the consequences of an increase in the number of patients admitted to the clinic “with advanced stages of eye diseases, with complications, which further leads to longer treatment periods, inability to overcome the disease with therapeutic methods, and the need for surgical treatment…”.
“First of all, this concerns patients with inflammatory diseases of the eye and ophthalmic oncology. The number of patients in the department of microsurgical treatment of children’s eye diseases has also increased,” he said.
FILATOV INSTITUTE, MEDICAL EXAMINATION, MEDICINE, SERGIY_KATSAN, Лелека
