The Ministry of Health continues the reform of "medical" purchases

On October 25, the Ministry of Health registered the state enterprise Medichny Zakupivl Ukrainy, which in time will receive the status of a centralized purchasing organization. This enterprise will provide further development of drug procurement reform and the creation of a procurement expertise center.
The creation of the DP “Medical purchases of Ukraine” is a consequence of the implementation of the updated Concept of reforming the procurement system of medicines and medical devices, which was approved by the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of August 23, 2017, No. 528-р.
In accordance with the Concept, the provision of patients with medicines should be carried out in three key ways: through the reimbursement program, the inclusion of the cost of medicines and medical devices in the cost of medical services and through procurement by a centralized purchasing organization. It is for the latter direction that the newly created state enterprise will be responsible.
It is planned that the State Enterprise “Medical Purchases of Ukraine” from 2020 will be able to fully function and conduct purchases at the expense of the state budget.
In the future, the newly created state-owned enterprise will procure drugs for the state budget funds for strategic programs (vaccines, infectious diseases), as well as proprietary expensive drugs. In addition, it will work with the market to reduce prices, combine local purchases, conduct framework purchases, form and maintain electronic catalogues, as well as increase the level of professionalism in the procurement of medicines and medical devices.
It is also planned to introduce an electronic catalogue of medicines and medical devices, which will be in the form of an online store in the ProZorro system. This will allow medical institutes to buy their own medicines and medical products.
DP “Medical purchases of Ukraine” will be subordinate to the Ministry of Health. Control over the enterprise will be carried out by an independent supervisory board, which will include representatives of government agencies, international organizations, patient and anti-corruption public organizations. Such advice should be formed within 6 months.
In addition to the pilot procurement, in 2018, the procedures should be launched for the formation of the specified council and the competition for the selection of the head of the State Enterprise “Medical Purchases of Ukraine”.