Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has approved a resolution introducing reference prices for medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and bronchial asthma from January 1, 2017 and launching the reimbursement program for them from April 1, 2017.

"Our decisions would help to halve prices of medicines, and refund expenses to patients with chronical diseases – asthma and diabetes," Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said at a government meeting on Wednesday.

He said that the government would toughly react to attempts of hindering this reform by the pharmaceutical sector.

"If someone plays with Ukrainian citizens in the shortage of medicines, I would not chase everyone. I would find one – the largest one – and make so that he would feel that he must have respect for Ukrainian citizens. We have various tools for this," he said.