KIEV, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday has passed a bill on long-delayed healthcare reform in the country, said the parliament press service.
The draft law was approved by 240 votes in favor, passing the 226-vote threshold, according to a statement on the parliament website.
The healthcare reform envisages that the government will provide at least 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product to pay for certain medical services and medicines for citizens.
In particular, the state will fully cover the expenses on emergency medical care, primary medical care, palliative care, prenatal care and childbirth.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman welcomed the adoption of the law, saying it is a key for the establishment of a new healthcare system in the country.
"The medicine will be of high-quality and accessible for everyone," Groysman wrote on Twitter.
The government will start gradually implementing the reform on Jan. 1, 2018. The reform is set to be fully completed by 2020.
