On October 23, 2026, during a meeting of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities (AFCC), the critical issue of access to medical services and pharmaceutical supplies in regions directly affected by the war was raised. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, during a discussion organized in partnership with the Pharmaceutical Association of Ukraine, called for the development of fundamentally new state funding mechanisms for medical facilities and pharmacy networks operating near the front line.
Special conditions for frontline hospitals
Ihor Terekhov focused on the scale of infrastructure destruction, noting that 44 out of 49 municipal medical facilities in Kharkiv have sustained damage. The mayor emphasized that standard budget allocation methods are ineffective in such realities, as frontline hospitals require additional funds for autonomous power supply, heating, and enhanced physical protection. According to the city leadership, the state must move away from equalizing funding towards targeted support for the most vulnerable healthcare facilities.
Staff shortages and social protection
One of the key topics of the discussion was the outflow of qualified medical and pharmaceutical personnel from high-risk zones. To prevent a shortage of specialists, the Association proposes implementing a package of measures: introduction of danger pay, state life and health insurance, and extended social guarantees. The meeting participants agreed that the funding of these programs should not be carried out by cutting basic staff salaries, as currently happens in many instances.
Pharmacies as hubs of vitality
The accessibility of medicines was highlighted as a separate category of problems. Ihor Terekhov noted that a pharmacy in a frontline settlement performs a social role, often being the only place where residents can obtain basic assistance. As support measures, the Association proposes lowering VAT from 7% to 5% on a range of critical goods and expanding state programs for pharmaceutical cost compensation for the population.
A path to state-level changes
Following the round table, the expert community, including President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Infectious Disease Specialists Olga Golubovskaya, prepared a resolution with specific recommendations. The document is being sent to the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Health, the National Health Service (NHSU), and relevant Verkhovna Rada committees to be considered during the 2027 state budget formulation. Previously, the AFCC had also proposed allocating an additional 32 billion UAH to support the education sector, reflecting a systematic approach to protecting social infrastructure in frontline regions.
