According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to over 90% of all deaths in Ukraine even though many of these deaths are preventable with improvements in lifestyle, a stronger health care service delivery, and better access to essential medicines. Committed to reducing this burden, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the SAFEMed project led by Management Sciences for Health, the Government of Ukraine launched the State Affordable Medicines Program. This program is designed to improve patients’ access to essential medicines and provide a reimbursement program for the three NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type II, and bronchial asthma) that are most likely to affect mortality rates and significantly reduce quality of life in Ukraine. Launched initially in 2017 using hand-written prescriptions and monthly paper invoices, the program was upgraded in 2018 to include e-prescription as an electronic end-to-end solution with clinical, operational, and financial controls. Since April 2019, 13 million e-prescriptions were filled nationwide and 2 million Ukrainian patients have benefited from the program.

Learn more about what makes the State Reimbursement Program: Affordable Medicines so innovative in the UVA Darden School of Business’s Ideas to Action article.