Honorable Yuliye Volodymyrivno!
We demand from you, the head of the central organ of executive authority in Ukraine, in the shortest terms to inform the community of Ukraine about the use of 50 million hryvnas, which were allocated in summer of 2009, with the purpose of preventing epidemic of Californian flue. We remind you, Mrs. Timoshenko, that according to the law of Ukraine “About Cabinet of Ministers” the government, which you are the head of, is supposed to perform functions of providing state policy in health care sphere; it allocated state funds in the amount of 50 million hryvnas in order to prevent spreading in Ukraine of Californian flue A/H1N1, which is as well known as the swine flue. From the interview of Mr. Vasyl Knyazevych, Minister of Health of Ukraine, given by him on the 1st of November, 2009 in the live broadcast of TV channel “1+1” it came to light that tender procedures on disbursement of the assigned funds were conducted with the break of the current legislation of Ukraine and with the clear features of corruptive actions; as a result Ukraine remained actually unready to fight flue epidemic. (http://tsn.ua/ukrayina/tender-na-zakupivlyu-test-sistem-dlya-gripu-vigrala-firma-yaka-yih-ne-viroblyaye.html)
History of the question.
On the 11th of June, 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) announced pandemia of “Californian flue” A/H1N1 (swine flue). This statement is a signal to national governments and medical institutions around the world to get ready to the increase of the amount of sick people. We remind that the last time, when WHO announced pandemia, was 40 years ago; in 1968, when around one million people died because of Hongkong virus. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8094655.stm)
On the 2nd of June of the current year the first case of swine flue was confirmed in Ukraine. On the 12th of June, 2009 Mr. Vasyl Knyazevych, Minister of Health of Ukraine informed about the fact that the system of health care of Ukraine is ready for the epidemic of flue A/H1N1 (http://www.zaxid.net/newsua/2009/6/12/195230/). On the same occasion V. Knyazevych published the measures taken in Ukraine to fight epidemic of A/H1N1 flue, which is:
1. Ukraine obtained from WHO 61 thousand doses of “Tamiflue” medicine;
2. Government of Ukraine allocated for the aim of fighting A/H1N1 flue 50 million hryvna (around 6 million US dollars). The allocation by the Cabinet of Ministers of this very amount of funds was publicly confirmed by the Head of Health Care Verhovna Rada Committee Tetyana Bakhteyeva.
This funding, according to the Minister, was aimed at (i) creating in Ukraine of the new high quality laboratory; (ii) purchasing of medicines for patients’ treatment; (iii) funding of special commissions, which will work in the regions. According to V.Knyazevych such precautions were sufficient and effective: “There is still time till autumn in order to get ready for the flue epidemic. At present we are working at increasing nations’ immunity level, using methods of national and non-traditional medicine. (www.zaxid.net/newsua/2009/6/12/195230/)
On the 5th of June, 2009 information-analytical edition “Hlavred” (ua.glavred.info/archive/2009/06/05/153452-1.html) informed its readers about the measures of Ministry of Health of Ukraine, taken in order to prevent epidemic of Californian flue in Ukraine. Among them were mentioned: creation of operative unit, introducing “hot” telephone line, distributing special information leaflets for the population about A/H1N1 flue. For the allocated 50 million hrvynas by the Government of Ukraine in the medical institutions of train stations, ports, airports constant monitoring of ill people’s appeals with the symptoms of respiratory diseases should have been conducted with the separate record and immediate informing of epidemic service. The employees of controlling services at the border of Ukraine should have been provided with the means of personal protection. As well, inventory of national scientific basis should have been started with the aim of mobilizing science at flue fighting.
Real situation as for the 2nd of November, 2009
1. Only 200 test systems are available in Ukraine at present. 14 of them have already been used. (www.rbc.ua/ukr/newsline/show/parl.........seychas_provodit_vaktsinatsiyu_ot_grippov_tipa_a_i_v_02112009)
2. By the decision of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine from the 30th of October, 2009 the President of Ukraine commissioned the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine during 3 days to solve the issue as for allocating additional resources for funding complex of organizational; medical-sanitary, sanitary-hygienic, medical-preventive, anti-epidemic measures on minimizing consequences of spreading of pandemic flue and viral-respiratory diseases; provide during the week term regional viral laboratories of State sanitary-epidemic service of Ukraine and corresponding scientific-medical establishments with the necessary equipment, diagnostic and spending materials, disinfectants, etc; provide reinforcement of anti-epidemic regime and conducting complex of disinfecting events in public places (airports, train and bus stations, etc), children preschool educational establishments, health protection institutions, culture establishments, at enterprises, in organizations and institutions regardless of ownership form; provide urgent restrictions in conducting of mass cultural-entertaining and other events related to big human gatherings; urgently allocate necessary funds according to the inquiry of Ministry of Health of Ukraine for the purchase of medicines, medical equipment, means of personal protection, other appliances of medical purpose for population and medical staff of the aggrieved persons (www.rbc.ua/ukr/newsline/show/v_yushchenko........._v_usloviyah_epidemii_grippa_v_ukraine_01112009). Therefore, we have to state that before the appearance of the mentioned CNSD decision, the enlisted measures had not been undertaken by the Cabinet of Ministers.
3. The first Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov (i) gives an order to pharmaceutical enterprises to work 24 hours in order to produce medicines; (ii) gives an order to inform the community of the difference between preventive and medical drugs; (iii) affirms the list of drugs and means of disease prevention (gauze bandages, gloves, etc), which have to be in sale of each drugstore in Ukraine; (iv) underlines that the level of prices for preventive and medical drugs shouldn’t be higher than the price set in the retail drugstore networks based on 20th of October, 2009; (v) from the State material reserve provides the necessary amount of gauze. (gazeta.ua/index.php?id=314009)
Therefore, we have to state that the enlisted measures hadn’t been undertaken earlier.
4. Minister of Health Vasyl Knyazevych (i) on the 30.10.09 informed about the fact that Ukraine turned to WHO with the request to help with the vaccine against flue; (ii) according to Ministry of Foreign affairs data based on 30th of October 81 thousands 487 infected people were registered in Ukraine, among them 33 thousands 559 children. All in all 2 thousands 341 persons were hospitalized, among them 1,1 thousands of children. At the same time, already 60 Ukrainians died from severe viral-respiratory disease (www.kirovograd.net/shortly/2009/11/2/statistika_epidemiyi_60_smertei.htm)
5. Secretary of the Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine Rayisa Bohatyryova published the information that starting with 12th of October, 2009 Ukrainians started to die from A/H1N1 flue, but only starting from the 27th of October, 2009 the data of laboratory researches, which confirm circulation of A/H1N1 flue, started to be worked out (gazeta.ua/index.php?id=313991).
6. The Government of Ukraine allocated 500 millions hryvnas (around 63 millions US dollars) from the Reserve Fund of the Cabinet of Ministers (fbc.net.ua/ru/news/finance/Kabmin_vydelil_500_mln_grn_na_borbu_s.html). This money is aimed at buying medicines, medical equipment, preventing of spreading of flue epidemic.
7. Retail drugstore networks for more than 3 days don’t have (i) gauze bandages; (ii) medications, aimed at preventing severe viral-respiratory infection, flue, etc; (iii) anti-virus medications of new generation “Tamiflue”.
And finally, none of the average Ukrainians has seen the special leaflet for population about A/H1N1 flue.
The conclusion.
50 millions hryvna, allocated at preventing in Ukraine swine flue epidemic were spend ineffectively by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The non-transparent scheme of distribution of these funds led to the lack of medications in the establishments of retail drugstore network. Mass lack of knowledge of Ukrainians as for the course of the disease, differences between preventive and medical drugs led to an unreasonable amount of deaths among the citizens of Ukraine, the amount of which becomes bigger.
If the existing approach of the Government of Ukraine remains the same, the additional funding in the amount of half billion hryvnas will not have an essential influence on the decrease of the epidemic tension, caused by A/H1N1 flue virus.
Taking into consideration the above said, we demand from the Government of Ukraine and personally from the Prime-Minister of Ukraine Yuliya Timoshenko:
1. Provide a public report on spending 50 million hryvnas, which the Government allocated in June of the current year for the fight with A/H1N1 flue.
2. Announce in public the list of measures and their cost, which the Government of Ukraine plans to carry out in order to decrease sickness rate and treat A/H1N1 flue.
3. Provide access for independent civic control over all the materials, related to measures, conducted by the Government of Ukraine on the decrease of sickness rate, as well as A/H1N1 flue treatment (excluding the information, spreading of which is directly prohibited by the law of Ukraine).
3rd of November, 2009
National Contact of Transparency International in Ukraine
+38(0522)27-27-54, , www.toro.org.ua
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