In Chernivtsi, they are studying the idea of ​​creating medical and social institutions for the care of the terminally ill

In Chernivtsi region, due to lack of funding, there is no powerful hospice that meets world standards. Therefore, the local authorities decided to take a different path - to study the feasibility of combining medical and social care for palliative patients. After all, the relevance of providing palliative and hospice care is determined not only by the presence of a large number of oncological diseases, but also by demographic changes in the world.

"We have already spoken with social workers and chief doctors, it is possible to combine the so-called social structures - we have about 400 of them in the region - with medical ones. Because there is no medical care in social institutions. It is necessary to create a medical and social institution where joint financing can be ensured", - noted the deputy director of the Department of Health Protection of the Chernivtsi State Administration Yuriy Lesyuk . 

He informed that the number of people over 60 years old in Ukraine increased from 18% to 22%. By 2026, they will account for 26% of the total population of Ukraine. There are 3.5 million people over 75 years old in Ukraine. Due to the development of health care, the life expectancy of people increases, but at the same time, this leads to an increase in those diseases that are present in older people.

According to Lesyuk, currently the largest number of palliative patients are in the Khotyn, Kelmenets, and Sokyryan districts (more than 300 patients per 100,000 population). Fear of death and loneliness, lack of professional medical care - this is currently a bitter reality. "Three-level hospice care should work here and should be created," says Lesyuk, "which will be brought closer to our residents from the village to the cities and to the region. We have developed such a strategy in Bukovina, at the first stage, pain therapy offices were created in each dispensary. They have the ability to monitor these patients, prescribe and prescribe painkillers, and conduct home examinations."