The Second International Ukrainian-German Symposium “Public Health in the Social and Educational Space – Challenges of the Reform and Development Prospects” was held in TNMU

On September 22-24, 2020, the Second International Ukrainian-German Symposium “Public Health in the Social and Educational Space – Challenges of the Reform and Development Prospects” was held in I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University jointly with the Akkon University of Applied Sciences for Human Sciences, Berlin (Germany) supported by the German Federal Ministry of Health.

It is a good tradition for the Department of Public Health and Health Care Management of TNMU to arrange in September the International Ukrainian-German Symposium on topical issues of public health, covering both global health challenges and public health issues at the regional level.

Taking into account present challenge – the COVID-19 pandemic, which has faced all countries of the world, the symposium participants were very interested in “Public health in the global and regional space – the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic”. This was the main reason for online symposium due to quarantine.

Acting Rector of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, DSc Prof. I.M. Klishch welcomed the participants,

as well as DSc., Prof. Timo Ulrichs, Akkon University of Applied Sciences for Human Sciences, Berlin (Germany),

and Acting Director General of the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin.

The issues of public health education and training, the concept of a healthy lifestyle and health promotion, patient safety, diagnostic errors at different levels of medical care, infectious and non-infectious diseases and their impact on health were also presented during the symposium.

Moreover the matters of interdisciplinary and intersectoral cooperation in public health, public health HR, public health management, health care systems, mechanisms of their financial support and management a s well as legal and ethical principles of public health were also topical at the conference.

During the plenary session Professor Timo Ulrichs (Akkon University of Human Sciences, Berlin) presented a report “Corona Virus and COVID-19 and Health Care System in Ukraine”;

the project coordinator of the Institute for Research and International Cooperation of the Akkon University of Human Sciences, Berlin Gabi Feldmann reported on the German-Ukrainian Partner Project “Strengthening the Health System in Ukraine by Promoting Health Sciences and Effective Bilateral Collaboration” (Gaby Feldmann, Akkon University of Human Sciences, Berlin); our colleague from Germany mentioned about the historical milestones in the development of cooperation between I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University and Akkon University of Human Sciences, Berlin and defined the further cooperation prospects.

The reports of German colleagues Pythia Gristova, the German-Eastern Business Association (OAOEV), on “The German-Eastern Business Association” and Dr. Anke Spura, Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), on “Federal Center for Health Education in Communication Processes in the Corona Pandemic”.

The Head of Phthisiology Course of the Department of Internal Medicine Propedeutics and Phthisiology of TNMU Professor Leonid Hryshchuk took part in the plenary session of the symposium as well. He reported on the topical issue of tuberculosis epidemiology in Ukraine “Multiresistant forms of tuberculosis in Ukraine”.

The reports of the heads and professors of the departments of public health of Ukrainian universities, in particular P. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, the National University “Ostroh Academy”, Bukovynian State Medical University were interesting and of urgent matter.

Доктор наук з державного управління, професор кафедри управління охорони здоров’я Національної медичної академії післядипломної освіти імені П.Шупика Зоряна Гбур виступила з доповіддю «Концептуальні засади логістики нового часу в сучасній українській медицині».

Zoriana Hbur, Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Professor of the Department of Health Management of P. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education reported on “Conceptual principles of modern logistics in contemporary Ukrainian medicine”.

The Head of the Department of Public Health, Associate Professor, PhD Ihor Hushchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Public Health Association, reported on “Hygienic Approaches to the Development of the Public Health Care System of Ukraine”.

Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Medicine and Health Care Organization of Bukovynian State Medical University Liubov Vlasyk reported on “Patient Experience and Its Significance in Medical Activity by the Model of an Economically Active Population”.

Further discussions on public health issues took place during the sessions.

It should be noted that master’s degree students in public health of TNMU also took part in the simposium, in particular Shyshatska I.M. reported on “The role of public health centers in the development of palliative care in Ukraine in the context of health care reform” during the sessions.