Free testing for COVID-19 to be carried out in first-aid posts of service centers at checkpoints - dpty reintegration minister
Deputy Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Inna Holovanchuk announces plans to conduct free testing for coronavirus infection COVID-19 directly at the medical points of service centers at the checkpoints of entry and exit on the disengagement lines with the temporarily occupied territories.
"If we talk about the services that are provided and will be provided in the medical point of the service center, it is planned to conduct free testing there for COVID-19. I also remind you that one service center is already operating in Schastia [the town of Schastia, Luhansk region]. In December, a similar center will be opened at the checkpoint in Novotroyitske [Novotroyitske village of Volnovakhsky district of Donetsk region], as well as modernized one in Chonhar [Chonhar village, Henichesky district of Kherson region near the administrative border with the Autonomous Republic of Crimea]. Next year, multifunctional service centers will appear at all checkpoints," Holovanchuk said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
According to her, this procedure will be carried out in accordance with the algorithm of actions, which will be worked out for the services provided at the primary health care facilities in the medical office of such a service hub. "Testing will be carried out at the entrance [to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government] if quarantine restrictions continue. I will not say yet whether it will be for everyone or only for those who have the corresponding symptoms, but it will definitely happen," the deputy minister emphasized.
Holovanchuk hopes that this service will start working by the end of the year.
"At least, funds were sought for this and the Ministry of Health has developed an algorithm. This is a very significant moment, because now citizens who enter from the occupied territory do tests at their own expense and wait for the results to come. This approach is not quite humane to our citizens, given that all this is the territory of Ukraine," she added.
