‘Welcoming medicine’ project is unique for Ukraine. It was implemented by the Development Fund of Mariupol together with the City Council in the framework of ‘Strengthening of public trust’ project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In its framework Mariupol has been visited by the best experts of Ukraine. 80 employees of the registries of primary health care centers received training in client-oriented and friendly communication with patients. More than 265 residents and 110 doctors took part in the discussion of the reform. 37 managers of primary health care centers studied new approaches in organizing the work of medical institutions.
For half a year Mariupol have learned more about the medical reform and its tasks including the choice of a doctor and the signing of a declaration. As a result, more than 43% of Mariupol citizens signed a declaration with their doctor.
‘The task of Mariupol medicine is to provide quality service to every patient. We have a clear strategic plan of action. Today we want to restore confidence in primary medicine. When the doctor becomes an authority for a resident of the city, then a system of prevention and early diagnosis will work. We are on the right track. In the near future, we will change the face of primary medicine not only by introducing new competencies but we will necessarily start the repairs,’ Ksenia Sukhova noted.
According to Svetlana Makarova, the Head of the City Council's health department, the project had a positive impact on Mariupol medicine. Thus, the number of applications related to prevention in primary medicine has already increased to 27%. The goal is ‘healthy Mariupol’, by creating a quality, affordable and effective primary medicine.
‘We can see the result. Many people have had different opinion about medical reform. They saw this as a resource not an obstacle. We have plans to continue this program. It is important for us that the process of transforming the healthcare sphere in Mariupol does not stop in order to make patients to become partners,’ Ulyana Tokareva, a coordinator of ‘Welcome medicine’ project said.
