Commentary

        Early in February the Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Dr. Eric Hoskins, together with MPP Yvan Baker, travelled to Ukraine to meet with President Poroshenko, Vice Prime Minister Zubko, and Acting Minister of Health Dr. Ulana Suprun.

        Ukraine is currently planning vital health care reforms to transform the way care is provided to its citizens. Those reforms were discussed in meetings between government officials from the Ontario and Ukrainian governments, and follows a series of consultations between the two parties over the past few months.  In November 2017 a bilateral meeting between Minister Suprun, Minister  Hoskins,  and  MPP Baker highlighted telehealth and telemedicine  as important potential concepts for reform in Ukraine.

        “This is a significant national project that will transform the way health care is delivered in Ukraine and will help Ukrainians live healthier lives. I am also very pleased Ontario will be looking to share its knowledge and best-practices in other areas of health care delivery, such as rural medicine, emergency care, mental health and addictions, the education of health care professionals, and disease prevention. I am proud that Ukraine looked to Ontario as its model for these important health reforms,” said Baker.

        To conclude the trip, Minister Hoskins and MPP Baker witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine, Canada, and the World Bank.

        “This is also a very difficult time for Ukraine and Ukrainians,” noted Baker, “As the Premier has stated, we condemn the Putin regime’s aggression towards Ukraine, standing firm in our support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.”