Because of Russia's full-scale invasion, more than 8 million Ukrainians have been forced to become internally displaced persons (IDPs): they left their homes and temporarily moved to safer regions of the country. Regardless of their place of residence or registration, everyone can receive the same full scope of medical care. This right is exercised through the Program of Medical Guarantees, which, among other things, covers the needs of internally displaced persons.
The Program of Medical Guarantees includes all the main types of medical care:
- emergency medical care (regardless of whether you have a declaration with a family doctor);
- primary care;
- specialized care;
- palliative care;
- rehabilitation in health care;
- medical care for children under 16;
- medical care related to pregnancy and childbirth.
It also covers free or partially co-paid medicines under the “Affordable Medicines” reimbursement program.
The entry point to free medical care is still the primary care doctor: a family doctor, general practitioner or pediatrician. This may be a doctor at a municipal or private facility, or a doctor working as a sole proprietor under a contract with the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU). Patients who are temporarily living in other towns or villages of Ukraine and need medical care should go to the nearest healthcare facility with an NHSU contract and sign a declaration with a family doctor.
There is no need to cancel your previous declaration. When you sign a new declaration with the doctor of your choice, the change is automatically recorded in the electronic health care system (eHealth) and the previous declaration is automatically canceled.
With a declaration, patients get access to free services for the diagnosis and prevention of the most common diseases, advice on a healthy lifestyle, e-referrals to specialists and e-prescriptions for medicines; they can also get vaccinated according to the immunization schedule and obtain medical certificates, sick leave certificates, etc.
Please note! Internally displaced persons can see the following specialists without a referral: a gynecologist, psychiatrist, addiction specialist, TB specialist, pediatrician or dentist.
How can you find a healthcare facility with an NHSU contract?
You can find the nearest healthcare facility or doctor that has a contract with the NHSU to provide specific types of medical services:
- on the NHSU dashboard Electronic map of primary care locations
- or by calling the NHSU contact center at 16-77.
The Program of Medical Guarantees gives all Ukrainians the same free list of medical services and equal access to them, regardless of internally displaced person status. Learn more about the free medical services available under the Program of Medical Guarantees in the e-guide “Patient's Guide to the Program of Medical Guarantees 2024”. You can download the guide via this link.