Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for the country’s health care system. Significant destruction of health care infrastructure has limited access to health services, and massive displacements of people have significantly complicated the process of providing and receiving health services. This context has given rise to an urgent need to provide health services, especially in remote and frontline areas where traditional in-person access to health services is severely limited or impossible.

This report analyzes the experience of introducing telemedicine solutions with the technical assistance of LHSS in Ukraine. It highlights the results, analyzes the experience, and presents best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Additionally, this report provides recommendations for further utilization of extant and future telemedicine solutions both during martial law and after its repeal. The information presented in the report is intended to be useful for central and local authorities, health facilities, and telemedicine solution providers. It will also be of interest to those who wish to start using telemedicine solutions in the delivery of health services.

Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for the country’s health care system. Significant destruction of health care infrastructure has limited access to health services, and massive displacements of people have significantly complicated the process of providing and receiving health services. This context has given rise to an urgent need to provide health services, especially in remote and frontline areas where traditional in-person access to health services is severely limited or impossible.

This report analyzes the experience of introducing telemedicine solutions with the technical assistance of LHSS in Ukraine. It highlights the results, analyzes the experience, and presents best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Additionally, this report provides recommendations for further utilization of extant and future telemedicine solutions both during martial law and after its repeal. The information presented in the report is intended to be useful for central and local authorities, health facilities, and telemedicine solution providers. It will also be of interest to those who wish to start using telemedicine solutions in the delivery of health services.

At the end of 2022, the Local Health System Sustainability project (LHSS) analyzed the development of telemedicine in Ukraine and found a significant increase in the demand for telemedicine services in the previous few years. This was due to a combination of the COVID-19 epidemic and full-scale war initiated by Russia against Ukraine. LHSS supported the Government in drafting and ultimately approving a national Strategy for the Development of Telemedicine in Ukraine. In this strategy, one of the priority tasks was to define and further develop priority telemedicine services. This includes the development of technical models, algorithms, and business processes for interaction during the provision of medical assistance using telemedicine, as well as expansion of the functionality of the central database of the electronic health record system (EHRS) and medical information systems (MIS) in the field of telemedicine. 

With investment of nearly $60 million, LHSS supported USAID's COVID-19 response in 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, between March 2020 and September 2023. 

Join us as we discuss key questions regarding the integration of migrants into national health systems, considerations for migrants and host communities, and strategies for promoting health equity.

In this webinar, from the academic perspective, the strengthening of global health with a One Health approach was presented. The National Institute of Health of Colombia also presented community-based surveillance.

In this webinar, the experiences and achievements of Community-Based Organizations in informing, educating, and communicating to promote the inclusion of the migrant population were presented. From the academic perspective, the purpose of the strategies for informing, educating, and communicating about health was discussed.

In this webinar, panelists from academia and territorial entities discussed LHSS Colombia response to mental health.

A brief introduction to Primary Health Care (PHC) was presented, along with the tools for PHC implementation developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local health authorities.

This webinar details lessons learned from international cooperation, the Ministry of Health, and Community-Based Organizations in the enrollment process of the Venezuelan migrant population were shared.

In the webinar, the actions carried out in collaboration with actors such as the Ministry of Health to strengthen the Colombian health system for the inclusion and integration of the migrant population, returning Colombians, and host communities were presented.

Цей звіт детально описує поточний стан телемедицини в Україні та включає дані, зібрані практично з кожного регіону країни. Він відкриває можливості для стратегічних інвестицій, які допоможуть відновити і розширити доступ до медичного обслуговування для українців та зберегти довгострокову міцність і життєстійкість системи охорони здоров'я.

This report details the current status of telemedicine in Ukraine and includes data gathered from nearly every region of the country. It provides areas for strategic investments that would foster expanded access, reconnecting Ukrainians to health care, and supporting the long-term strength and resilience of the health system.

The events of the past 18 months underscore the importance of generally strong, equitable, and accessible health systems. COVID-19 is not the only threat we face, and as we prepare for the future it is critical that we begin to sufficiently invest in the foundational health system strengthening required to develop lasting resilience.