The interview program “Bolache” was created by the charitable foundation Healthy Solutions for an Open Society in collaboration with LB.ua.
This project is part of our strategic direction “A Free Doctor – A Free Patient”, aimed at promoting the agency and empowerment of Ukrainian medical professionals.
Within “Bolache”, together with LB.ua, we aimed to give doctors a voice — the opportunity to openly discuss their problems, questions, and suggestions with those who shape healthcare policy. Medical professionals shared their experiences anonymously, allowing for maximum openness.
Over the course of ten episodes, guests of “Bolache” included Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko, Head of the National Health Service of Ukraine Nataliya Husak, Chief Medical Officer of the Third Army Corps Victoria Kovach, and others.
The program was hosted by Iryna Andreytsiv, editor of the Health department at LB.ua and one of Ukraine’s leading medical journalists.
All episodes of the interviews can be viewed below or on the LB.ua YouTube channel.
Episode 1. Nataliya Husak, Head of the National Health Service of Ukraine
Over 70% of family doctors in Ukraine suffer from professional burnout — this is openly discussed by Nataliya Husak in the first episode of “Bolache”. The conversation covers the real state of primary healthcare: overload, penalties, lack of motivation, and the human aspect of reforms. Doctors share their stories anonymously about wages, capitation, urgent hospitalizations, patient interactions, and government promises. It’s a conversation about those who keep the system running — but burn out first.
Episode 2. Viktoriya Tymoshevska, Co-founder of Healthy Solutions, and Maryna Starodubska, Author of “How to Understand Ukrainians: A Cross-Cultural Perspective”
The second episode of “Bolache” focuses on Ukrainians’ responsibility for their own health — an issue that affects both doctors and patients. Why do we avoid preventive care, fear medical check-ups, ignore recommendations, and rely on self-medication? Viktoriya Tymoshevska, co-founder of Healthy Solutions, and Maryna Starodubska, author and adjunct professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, speak candidly about health culture, responsibility, and the changes that start with awareness.
Episode 3. Mykhailo Dovhopol, Co-founder of the Kharkiv Expert Group Supporting Health Reform
In the third episode, “Bolache” addresses healthcare management at the local level — and why patients still face long queues even after reform. About 90% of medical facilities are owned not by the Ministry of Health, but by local governments. Who is responsible for healthcare quality — the state, the community, or hospital directors? Mykhailo Dovhopol discusses accountability, management culture, and possibilities for improvement even under challenging conditions.
Episode 4. Yaryna Pikulytska, Founder of the Vulyk Family Clinic in Lviv
The fourth episode focuses on burnout and motivation among family doctors — those who keep primary care running but increasingly consider leaving the system. Over 70% of professionals already show signs of exhaustion, which impacts the quality and trust in healthcare. Yaryna Pikulytska and Kateryna Poshtaryuk, doctors with firsthand experience, discuss the challenges, ethics, and support needed for the future of family medicine.
Episode 5. Viktor Lyashko, Minister of Health
In the fifth episode, Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko answers pressing questions about Ukraine’s healthcare system: is it punitive or incentivizing? Who should control healthcare quality? Why do doctors lose motivation due to constant rule changes? How is funding managed? The discussion also covers the future of medical self-governance, transparency of digital health systems, and finding balance between the responsibilities of the state, doctors, and patients.
Episode 6. Inesa Huyvanyuk, Executive Director of Global Medical Knowledge Alliance in Ukraine, and Kseniya Mykhailyuk, Onco-Surgeon and Transplantologist at Oberig Clinic
The sixth episode explores the generation of young doctors who are transforming Ukrainian medicine but increasingly experience burnout and consider emigration. Over 70% already show signs of professional exhaustion, and if young talent leaves, the country risks losing its most active and motivated specialists. Inesa Huyvanyuk and Kseniya Mykhailyuk share their experiences, challenges, and hopes, combining Ukrainian practice with international expertise.
Episode 7. Viktoriya Kovach, Chief Medical Officer of the Third Army Corps
The seventh episode addresses the challenges of military medicine. Chief Medical Officer Viktoriya Kovach explains why a formalistic approach undermines the system and how medical work is organized on the frontlines and in the rear. The discussion covers doctor reservations, staff shortages, and systemic barriers to saving lives effectively. This episode is essential for those serving, planning to join, or influencing decision-making in military healthcare.
Episode 8. Mariya Karchevich, Deputy Minister of Health for Digital Transformation, and Yevhen Donets, CEO of Helsi
The eighth episode focuses on digitalization in medicine — one of the most contentious topics in modern healthcare. Online appointment booking, electronic referrals, and medical information systems were supposed to simplify life for doctors and patients, but often become sources of frustration. Mariya Karchevich and Yevhen Donets discuss why digital services don’t always work as intended and what needs to change for them to be truly helpful.
Episode 9. Nataliya Husak, Head of the National Health Service of Ukraine, and Oleksiy Holovin, Head of the Public Control Council of NHSU, Legal Advisor at Healthy Solutions
The ninth episode addresses healthcare salaries and their connection to informal patient payments. Why do Ukrainian doctors earn what they do? How is their pay structured, and what systemic problems affect financial motivation? Nataliya Husak and Oleksiy Holovin discuss these issues candidly.
Episode 10. Yevheniy Honchar, Deputy Minister of Health, and Anastasiya Pristaya, Surgeon and Author of “You Just Have to Bear a Little: Medical Chronicles”
The tenth episode focuses on the quality of medical care in Ukraine — one of the most complex issues for patients. Often, patients lack the clinical knowledge to assess a doctor’s work or to be sure that the professional is properly trained. Yevheniy Honchar and Anastasiya Pristaya discuss systemic problems, standards, and real-life cases.