KYIV. Feb 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Participants in the protest rally of doctors (#budkakNina) have announced the closure of hospitals under the guise of reforming Ukraine's healthcare system.

Protest organizer Anton Hura spoke at a press conference at the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency in Kyiv on Thursday.

Hura said protest organizers want parliamentary hearings to be held with the participation of health workers from around the country on the mechanism for introducing medical reform. He called for the creation of a profit distribution formula, determination of how much of the medical institution's income will go to pay for the work of medical workers and return the shared pension after 25 years of medical experience.

"From April 1, everything will be reformed. The previous healthcare system won't exist anymore," he said.

Hura said the first protest rally brought together about 1,000 healthcare workers across Ukraine.

Protest organizer Anatoliy Yakymenko said many hospitals could be closed in the regions as a result of the reforms.

Hura emphasized that the heads of municipal hospitals by unauthorized decision reduce the salaries of medical personnel, forcing them to agree to work for "minimum wage."

He also drew attention to the problem of incorrect collective bargaining, which creates an opportunity to reduce salaries for health workers, and the lack of a working union of medical workers.