Proposed changes to the system providing insulin have met with a mixed response, and it seems less than clear that those with diabetes would be better off

While in practice the provision of free healthcare services is subject to economic constraints, , it remains, nonetheless, illegal to impose official fees for medical services

Ukraine is in seventh position in the WHO European region after Russia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Moldova and Kazakhstan for the number of cases of tuberculosis among the population

From now on people with disabilities will only need to undergo a medical examination once in order to obtain technical rehabilitation aids, and not once a year

The Crimean Prosecutor is demanding that the government of the autonomous republic take urgent measures to safeguard the rights of residents of the Crimea to education, medical care and freedom of movement.

According to the UN programme on AIDS [UNAIDS], the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine is the most dangerous in Europe with its prevalence standing at more than 1.63%

Ukrainian scientists say that the mortality rate in Ukraine is the highest in the world. Among the reasons they give are smoking, alcoholism, but also a lack of spiritual values

Whereas in 2003, there were 119 thousand addicts registered, the figure now stands at 173 thousand, with five thousand minors among these

Of particular concern is the active spread of the epidemic through central regions relatively untouched before

The Dnipropetrovsk region has the second fastest rising number of people with HIV, and yet the facilities are grossly inadequate with the only centre available seriously overstretched

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union is calling for a proper investigation into a terrible accident in which a child was electrocuted. Up till now local officials, aided by the Prosecutor, have done nothing to ensure that lessons are learned

According to the Head of the All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS Coordination Council Ukraine has failed to meet its commitment to introduce a programme for methadone replacement therapy for drug addicts

The envisaged nationwide clinic for children with HIV/AIDS, for example, and referral laboratory attached to the Ukrainian Centre for Prevention and Combating AIDS of the Ministry of Health have not been created

Amendments to the relevant Ministry of Health Order are needed to ensure that people have access to treatment and social services, to reduce the crime level and slow down the spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis

Of the 150 thousand people recently infected with HIV in the former Soviet Union, 90% were in two countries - Russia and Ukraine. Of these, 66% of the cases were in Russia

On 18 October civic organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS and doctors held a protest outside the Ministry of Health. Their message was clear: Corruption = DEATH

The Ministry of Health does not know how many cases there are of hepatitis in Ukraine. No statistics are being kept, and no government funding is allocated for diagnosis and treatment of either hepatitis B or C

A representative of the International Alliance on AIDS / HIV in Ukraine points to a number of cases where people living with HIV or ill with AIDS have been deprived of the right to receive prescribed medication when held in custody.

Only 28% of those receintly surveyed know that diagnosis and treatment for tuberculosis are free of charge, and over 30% consider treatment an expensive luxury

The Ukrainian Open Association working with children suffering from cancer has turned to the “Internet community” [that’s all of us, by the way] asking that we help to publicize their site. .A small banner on your website can save a life is the message they (and we) want to pass on.