Ukraine's Health Ministry intends to introduce personal licensing of doctors aimed at accelerating the launch of private practice, Deputy Health Minister Pavlo Kovtoniuk has said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"Personal licensing for us is of strategic importance. This is a large project we are starting now," he said.

Kovtoniuk said that the Health Ministry received a request from the parliamentary committee interested in the issue.

He said that the premises licensing procedure should be relaxed as much as possible to quicken the launch of private practices. If one observes all conditions for licensing of premises, an outdated Soviet hospital would be created, he said.

The official said that the absence of personal licensing for doctors does not hinder to change the model of financing in healthcare reform at the primary care level.