The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will buy medicines under 17 state-funded programs for $48.5 million using 2016 budget funds. The first batch will arrive soon, UNDP Coordinator Zafar Yuldashev has said.

"We have held tenders under two programs and signed contracts saving $3 million. Next Monday [November 28] the medicines will be supplied," he said at the conference "Medicine Procurement in Ukraine in 2016" in Kyiv last week.

UNDP told Interfax-Ukraine that this concerns medicines to treat orphan diseases (Hunter's syndrome and Gaucher disease).

As reported, in October the Health Ministry signed contracts with UNICEF, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Britain's Crown Agents to buy medicines for 2016 budget funds.