Viktor Liashko: Ukraine will continue close cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

During the meeting, Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko and a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) led by Senior Vice President Naoki Ando discussed the status of current projects and further development of cooperation.

“We are sincerely grateful to Japan for its strong support and cooperation, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified during the full-scale war. International partnership is what allows us to face the challenges of wartime: to save lives under any circumstances, while constantly working on the development of Ukraine’s medical system,” said Minister Viktor Liashko. “In March, we started active work with Japanese partners. We already have results. Now it is important to move forward together, deepening cooperation, taking into account the priorities set by the Ukrainian and Japanese governments.”

During the meeting, JICA representatives announced the opening of an office in Kyiv, which will speed up coordination for even more effective implementation of joint projects. Cooperation in the healthcare sector is currently focused on providing medical facilities with the necessary equipment. Diagnostic systems are already being delivered. Nine magnetic resonance imaging scanners have been purchased for medical institutions in Dnipro, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Volyn, and one CT scanner for a children’s hospital in Chernivtsi. 20 vehicles were delivered to primary health care facilities in Kharkiv oblast. Special neurosurgical microscopes for hospitals are to be delivered soon.

The participants discussed potential areas for expanding cooperation. The top priority topics are the physical and psychological rehabilitation of people affected by the war. They have already been raised to the level of the presidents of both countries. Expert consultations are currently ongoing to finalize specific projects that will ensure access to quality rehabilitation care for all who need it.