KYIV. Jan 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The state budget for 2017 envisages allocation of UAH 141.6 million for the medicines procurement for the public institution Institute of Heart of the Health Ministry of Ukraine.
According to the Health Ministry, the allocation of additional UAH 40 million of state funds is provided for the purchase of equipment.
At the same time the Health Ministry points out that it did not refuse the mentioned state institution in the development of the program of a mechanical heart installation. Thus, a letter with the request to provide financing while forming the state budget for 2018-2019 for the purchase of five mechanical hearts in the amount of UAH 462.75 million was sent to the Cabinet in accordance with the request of the Heart Institute.”
As reported, two surgeries on installation of mechanical hearts were carried out in the Heart Institute of the Health Ministry in 2016.
In early January 2017 Director General of Heart Center of the Health Ministry Borys Todurov criticized effectiveness of procurement conducted using state budget funds. However, some nongovernmental organizations said that this medical institution bought medicines using budget funds at too high prices.
In addition, Todurov accused the ministry of obstructing to the opening of branches of the Health Ministry’s Heart Institutes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Meanwhile, according to the website of the Heart Institute, on December 26, 2016 its branch was opened in Severodonetsk (Luhansk region).
The Health Ministry believes that the branch was opened in violation of the statute of the state institution the “Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health.”
