The decentralisation reform is being actively implemented, and we already have obvious results. There are 743 AHs established, but the main criterion is not the number of hromadas, but a change in the quality of services through the implementation of infrastructure projects and sectoral reforms in education, healthcare, administrative and social services etc., said Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, at the Donor Board on the implementation of the decentralisation reform.

“We consider active communication and cooperation with international donors improtant. This allows the best practices of European countries to be involved, especially in the direction of implementing sectoral decentralisation in hromadas. And in this context, healthcare, especially rural healthcare, education, social protection of orphans, sports infrastructure, culture, barrier-free space, and inclusion are essential. And I thank the international partners for their active role in the implementation of these directions. Implementation of sectoral reforms would be possible without international support, but it would not be as quick and high-quality,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to him, in terms of primary healthcare development in rural areas, our task is to form a network of primary healthcare with a new quality of medical services. After all, it is the medical service that is the basic one for every person and today we have a chance to make this service a high-quality one, bring it to a new level.

“We have currently capable network projects of all regions approved. The Government has adopted the terms and conditions for provision of subvention and allocated it among the regions. The resource form on existing (perspective) places of primary healthcare provision is developed for each territory of accessibility. Besides, standards and typical designs of outpatient clinics of different types are elaborated, and the cost of projects’ implementation estimated. There is a clear schedule for implementing projects, so we have to switch to implementation,” said Hennadii Zubko.

The ambitious task in education is to continue to build a network of hub schools. There are already 530 hub schools functioning, of which 224 are in located in AHs. Besides, this year, the priority regional development projects, financed by the state, have been replenished with one more project – the development of a network of family homes for orphans, children deprived of parental care and children with disabilities.

Hennadii Zubko made a special emphasis on the importance of forming and developing cultural space in hromadas. This will keep and develop the population, create new workplaces, raise the living standard, etc.

In turn, Berend de Groot, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, Co-Chairman of the Donor Board, supported the acceleration of implementation of sectoral reforms in Ukraine.

“Today, the main emphasis is on sectoral reforms. It is precisely without their implementation that further progress of decentralisation in Ukraine is impossible. Some hromadas are already actively implementing new educational, administrative and social services, and there are results. It motivates other hromadas to change. We intend to cover the entire territory of Ukraine with new services, thereby improving the living standard of citizens,” said Berend de Groot.

The Vice Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the participants of the Donor Board, who assist in implementation of decentralisation in Ukraine – the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, Governments of Germany, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, SIDA, DESPRO, UNDP, USAID, DOBRE, PULSE, EDGE, and stressed that currently evident decentralisation success is a joint success of Ukraine and international partners.

It should be noted, that the Donor Board brings together all international projects that help to implement the decentralisation reform. Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, and Berend de Groot, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, are the Co-Chairmen of the Board.