The state and local authorities are trying to contribute to an effective and decent rehabilitation for all Ukrainian soldiers. That is why veterans have the right to free medications. The Charity Fund "Direct Inclusion" instructed how and where to get those.

The program "Dostupni liky": what is it and where it works?

The government project "Dostupni liky" was launched in 2017. It works on providing medicines for particular categories of people for free or with a discount. Veterans are one of those categories. More than 515 medicines are available for them to treat the following diseases:

• type I and II diabetes;

• diabetes insipidus;

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;

• mental and behavioral disorders;

• epilepsy;

• cardiovascular diseases;

• Parkinson's disease.

The list of meds also includes painkillers and immunosuppressants. You can find a complete list of medications here.

The program is available at pharmacies with a contract with the National Health Service. Such pharmacies are specially marked. To get discounted medications, veterans have to provide the pharmacist with a prescription for the medicine (which must be stamped and signed by the doctor) and a document certifying the status of a combatant.

Requirements for hospitals

Veterans receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment can receive free medicines from the National List of Essential Medicines. The list can be found here.

At the same time, the hospitals are to purchase medicines and cover the needs of patients. The cost of medications is reimbursed from the state or local government budget. Information about the availability of certain drugs should be available on the websites of local authorities and healthcare institutions.

The Ministry of Veterans Affairs advises that if the hospital forces you to buy medications that should be available at the facility, call the National Health Service at 16-77.

Other programs for veterans

Apart from state programs, veterans can also get benefits for medical equipment from United Territorial communities. Usually, citizens with rare diseases or severe forms of ailments can get compensation for the treatment from local budgets. The Charity Fund "Direct inclusion" summarizes: contact the local authorities to get complete information and an algorithm for getting medications.