Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov

Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
Ukraine’s Acting Minister of Health Meets Mufti Said Ismagilov
21/04/2017
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Ms. Ulana Suprun, Ukraine’s acting Minister of health, met Mufti Said Ismagilov and gave a detalization of blueprint for the healthcare reform her team had offered. According to her, this must improve medical care for every Ukrainian. She asked the Mufti to support that reform and, if possible, be personally present at the House of Parliament at the time the respective package of bills was voted on Thursday, 13 April, and inform the parishioners of the RAMU “Umma” mosques about the main points of that reform. For she believes, that any reform is only possible when the citizens really support it.

Bills from the package can be found (in Ukrainian) at the official page of Verkhovna rada by the links (1, 2, 3). We are also attaching presentation sheets (also in Ukrainian) visualizing the key points (Ms. acting Minister gave them to Mufti as they met) and publishing the Mufti’s opinion on that account.

Please study those materials carefully and make your own conclusions, for our future living standards depend only on us at present!

Healthcare reform is one of the most topical issues in ukraine today, as that system has never changed since the Soviet era. A moribund system which became so corrupt and ineffective, that most Ukrainians have lost the slightest trust in it. Richer people get their medical treatment in private clinics or even abroad, while poorer Ukrainians have to wait in long queues in State-owned clinics where the doctors are underpaid, where there medical supplies are not enough, and where there’s no modern equipment. Hospitals look more like prisons than, actually, medical institutions.

Ms.Suprun has a clear, understandable, reasonable and absolutely real plan on Health Care reforming. Now it is up to the MPs who have to vote for those bills this week. The acting Minister says that the changes, of course, will not be immediate, but rather enduring, because of the resistance from the old system not willing to abandon the corrupt practices.

The current state of health Care system affects, first of all, average Ukrainian folks regardless their faith or ethnic origin, both Muslims and Christians and even those who do not believe at all.

The Government and the Prime-Minister fully support this reform, but there is a certain misunderstanding among the MPs. This week, on Thursday, perhaps, this bills package is to be voted in the Parliament, and Ms. acting Minister is very concerned, for in case it is not voted, any Health Care reforms will be postponed for another 3 to 5 years (because of the coming elections, when no one will take that responsibility). If it is not done now, the reform will be delayed at least until 2020 (if not later) — because the State Budget is approved in Summer, and the bills need to be voted now in order to include them in the 2018 Budget and allow the Government start their implementation fight on the 1 January, 2018.

If, however, the package of bills is postponed until Autumn, the nearest chance to include in it budget planning will be only next Summer! Ms.Suprun has reasonable doubt that the bills, if not voted now, will be voted in Autumn, for in course of the coming elections nobody will take any risks. So the reform will once again be postponed, while the Ukrainians will still have the current level of medical service — both kids and elderly people, as well as people with chronic conditions and demand permanent medical assistance.

For that reason, Ms. Acting Minister decided to approach the religious leaders, for religious organisations now have the highest level of credibility among Ukrainians. She has already spoken to the Counsil of Churches, met me (Mufti Said Ismagilov, — ed.) on Sunday, spoke to Patriarch Filaret on Monday and hopes to meet other religious leaders in person as well, and ask them to support that reform and, if possible, be present at the House of Parliament when the bills are voted and look the MPs in the eye. For she fears that they may fail to vote on Thursday, but then go to the Church on the Easter Sunday and demonstrate their godliness.

Ms.Suprun calls for every religious community to support that blueprint, for now we see almost no refoorms in Ukraine, why it were complex reforms the Maidan stood for and the Ukrainian society demands. That is something that can brings us closer to civilized world, where every human being is not some consumable item, but a person with their rights, and with every opportunity to get high-quality medical assistance from the State.

It happened so this year that the following week will be a very special spiritual time for both Christians and Muslims. For Christians, this is the last week of the Lent; the Holy Week that is to be completed by the Easter itself, Moreover, the voting must take place on Maundy Thursday, which is quite metaphorical.

For Muslims, on the other hand, this time is also special, for we are now witnessing the month of Rajab (according to the Hijri Calendar). This is one of the “forbidden” months preceding the Holy Ramadan, when the believers start preparing themselves for the month of fasting. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said that Rajab was the month of Allah. It was during this month that the miracle Night Journey took place, when the Prophet by the grace of God was first transferred from Mekka to jerusalem, and then ascended into Heaven where he was shown both Paradise and Hell, the awards and the punishments, and talked to God directly and received the last verses of al-Bakkarah directly from Him, which happened only once in Muhammad’s lifetime. For that reason, Rajab is a very special month for Muslims.

I think that every MP that identify themself as a religious person, every honest person with dignity, should use this wonderful opportunity and show their initiative, spirituality and their will to make some big deal for our people. I call upon everyone to support the Health Care reform in Ukraine!

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