Medical information services have been launched in Kyiv to help capital residents and city guests find necessary medical services, understand the conditions for receiving them, and take advantage of current state and municipal programs. According to RBC-Ukraine, Tetiana Mostepan, Director of the Department of Health of the Kyiv City State Administration (KGSA), announced this on the KIEV24 TV channel. According to her, despite the challenges facing the healthcare system, the authorities' task is not only to ensure the uninterrupted operation of medical institutions but also to help people quickly find the service they need and understand how to obtain it.
Single Contact Center: Who to Call
The main channel for obtaining information has become the contact center at (044) 451-0-451. Operators help Kyiv residents figure out which municipal medical institutions offer the necessary examinations and services, where they can be obtained for free, and what state and municipal programs are available to patients. As Mostepan emphasized, it is important that a person can get a reliable answer, understand where to turn, whether a referral is needed, and what steps must be taken to receive help.
Digital Channel: Telegram Bot for Online Users
For those who prefer digital services, the Telegram bot «Online Assistant of Kyiv City Health Department» is operating. With its help, users can search for information about medical institutions, services, and examinations, as well as learn about available municipal programs. According to the head of the Department of Health, the purpose of the service is to save Kyiv residents from having to waste time searching for information across various resources and checking its relevance. The data in the services is updated so that patients can navigate available services and save time searching for them.
Why This Matters in Wartime
Mostepan noted that in wartime conditions, when medical facilities may suffer damage and the organization of their work may change, it is especially important to have a reliable source of up-to-date information on available medical care. That is why, according to her, these services make the healthcare system «more understandable and closer to the people». This is also contextualized by the statistics previously announced by the Ministry of Health: 78% of public network medical facilities in Ukraine are capable of operating completely autonomously during interruptions in the centralized supply of electricity, heat, and water.
Important Clarification: Services Do Not Replace a Doctor
It should be noted separately that the new services are informational in nature. They help find the necessary service and determine the further course of action, but they do not replace a doctor's consultation. Thus, the launch of the contact center and the Telegram bot has become a step toward ensuring that patients receive reliable navigation through the healthcare system without wasting time on independent searches and data verification.
