According to Interfax-Ukraine, the spread of poverty, deteriorating access to medical care, and the consequences of the war are increasing the risk of a rise in infectious diseases in Ukraine, said Olga Golubovska, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Infectious Disease Specialists and Honored Physician of Ukraine.
“Infectious diseases are social diseases, and their incidence always rises during times of crisis. And these are diseases that affect not only individuals but also form the basis of a country’s national biosecurity,” she said during a roundtable at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on the topic “Responding to the Challenge of Poverty: New Initiatives in State Social Protection Policy.”
According to Golubovska, a combination of several factors poses a particular threat: declining household incomes, high drug costs, a reduction in the number of medical facilities and staff, as well as additional expenses for patients to travel to where care is provided.
She noted that for people with limited incomes, illness is increasingly becoming a financial choice between treatment and preserving the family budget.
“I cannot get used to the idea that a person with limited financial resources to maintain their health or treat an illness simply says, ‘I won’t ruin my family’s finances,’” Golubovska noted.
She also criticized existing government funding packages for the treatment of infectious diseases, stating that they often do not cover the actual cost of therapy, and that the lists of available medications may include drugs from outdated treatment regimens.
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) confirm the relevance of this concern. In its 2026 country report on Ukraine, the WHO noted that public health risks remain elevated due to declining vaccination coverage and weakened epidemiological surveillance. Among infectious threats, the organization specifically cited outbreaks of measles, hepatitis A, and rabies. In 2026, according to WHO estimates, more than 4 million people will require medical care.
Access to medicines remains an additional challenge. According to a WHO assessment published in February 2026, four out of five Ukrainians surveyed reported difficulties in obtaining necessary medications, with high cost cited as the main reason in 71% of cases.
Golubovska called for a change in the approach to evaluating the cost-effectiveness of healthcare spending and for taking into account the economic benefits of prevention and timely treatment—reducing disability, the duration of work disability, and subsequent government expenditures.
“Many issues don’t require money at all, but rather proper organization,” she emphasized.
