---
title: "Terekhov calls for government review of medical support in frontline regions"
description: "Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov has initiated a review of state support for frontline medicine and pharmacies, demanding new funding and personnel protection mechanisms for the 2027 budget."
date: 2026-10-23T09:22:52.025Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/terekhov-calls-for-frontline-medical-support
tags: []
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Terekhov calls for government review of medical support in frontline regions

![Officials and experts at a roundtable on medical support in frontline cities](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/23/terekhov-prizyvaet-usilit-podderzhku-meditsiny/terekhov-prizyvaet-usilit-podderzhku-meditsiny-1.webp)

## Key Points

- 44 out of 49 Kharkiv medical facilities damaged due to hostilities.
- Proposal to reduce VAT to 5% for frontline pharmacies.
- Special payments and insurance needed for medics in high-risk zones.
- Resolution for the 2027 budget submitted to the Cabinet and Parliament.

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.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- ["Это право каждого украинца": Терехов призвал усилить государственную поддержку медицины](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/terehov-zaklikav-posiliti-derzhavnu-pidtrimku-1792742723.html) - All facts are based on the report by RBC-Ukraine concerning the meeting of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities.

## FAQ

### What are the main issues of frontline medicine highlighted during the meeting?

The key problems include infrastructure destruction (44 out of 49 hospitals in Kharkiv), staff shortages due to specialist outflow, and the need to ensure autonomous hospital operations.

### What is proposed for pharmacy networks?

The Association proposes lowering VAT from 7% to 5% on certain product categories and expanding programs to compensate for the cost of medicines for the population.