President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conference call with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Heads of Regional State Administrations, Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov and First Deputy Head of the President’s Office Serhiy Trofimov on the payment of supplements to doctors who work directly with patients infected with COVID-19.
In particular, they discussed a legal conflict over the payment of supplements for March. Therefore, many regions were guided by an order of the Ministry of Social Policy from 2003, according to which supplements were calculated for hourly work. Payments for April are made according to a different formula - through signed agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine. To this end, emergency medical services, hub hospitals, in-patient facilities helping combat COVID-19, and mobile crews visiting patients must conclude agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine.
"The percentage of concluded agreements in all four categories is currently low. And without this it will be impossible to pay up to 300 percent of supplements. Although the doctors on the frontline fully deserved it," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President of Ukraine instructed the Minister of Health to talk to all regional state administrations about the obstacles that prevent them from making additional payments, and to solve these problems in the coming days.
"Because of bureaucratic red tape, we wasted time, doctors received salaries without additional payments. This needs to be fixed. I am glad that we all understand each other and are ready to cooperate to resolve this issue," Denys Shmyhal addressed the RSA Heads.