The war in Ukraine has changed all aspects of life, including medicine and digital services. One of the most pressing challenges today is ensuring access to medical data for people with disabilities, veterans, and displaced persons. At the same time, cyber threats have become even more dangerous, as medical information is critically important and highly vulnerable to attacks.

Yurii Shevchuk, an expert in cybersecurity and digital medical technologies, is working to make Ukrainian medical services not only secure but also accessible to all segments of the population.

Digital Accessibility: Not a Privilege, but a Necessity

Since the beginning of the war, the number of Ukrainians with visual, auditory, and motor impairments has significantly increased. However, many state and insurance medical services still do not comply with international accessibility standards, particularly the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). This makes them inaccessible to a significant part of the population.

Key Issues That Require Immediate Resolution:
Lack of text alternatives for images, making it difficult for visually impaired users to access information.

Websites that are incompatible with screen readers.

Video content without subtitles, which remains inaccessible to people with hearing impairments.

Websites that cannot be navigated without a mouse due to the absence of keyboard navigation.

Low text contrast, making it difficult for visually impaired users to read content.

Yurii Shevchuk emphasizes that the issue of digital accessibility in Ukraine cannot be ignored. In developed countries such as the United States and EU member states, failure to comply with accessibility standards can result in fines and legal liability. Ukraine must move in the same direction.

Implementing WCAG is not an extra expense but an investment in a high-quality, secure, and user-friendly product that all citizens can utilize.

Cybersecurity of Medical Data During the War
The war has significantly escalated cybersecurity concerns, and medical institutions have become one of the primary targets for cyberattacks. Ukrainian and international security experts are recording regular cyberattack attempts on state medical systems, insurance companies, and electronic medical services.

Main Cyber Threats Include:

Hacker attacks on hospitals and insurance companies aimed at stealing personal data.
Data leaks due to the physical destruction of servers or chaotic evacuations.

Emergence of fake medical services and fraud related to obtaining benefits and insurance payouts.

Yurii Shevchuk understands these risks and offers comprehensive solutions to ensure the protection of medical data even during wartime.

How to Protect Medical Services and Make Them Accessible to Everyone

One of Yurii Shevchuk’s key areas of work is developing reliable technological solutions to secure medical data and improve the accessibility of digital services. These solutions include:

Implementing state-level WCAG standards to ensure that all medical websites are accessible to people with visual, auditory, and motor impairments.

Using encryption and secure databases for patient records, preventing data breaches even in the event of a cyberattack on servers.
Creating digital medical passports that provide protection against forgery and data leaks.
Developing mobile applications adapted for people with disabilities, featuring voice control, intuitive interfaces, and compatibility with screen readers.

Yurii Shevchuk’s Contribution to the Development of Digital Medicine
Yurii Shevchuk has many years of experience in cybersecurity and digital medical technologies. His work focuses on:
Developing platforms for the secure exchange of medical data.

Implementing encryption algorithms that protect patients from cyberattacks.
Optimizing state and insurance medical websites to meet WCAG standards.
Creating solutions that allow people with disabilities to access medical services without barriers.

Yurii Shevchuk firmly believes that a high-quality digital service must be accessible, secure, and reliable. His work not only improves the quality of medical services in Ukraine but also ensures they meet international security and accessibility standards.

Accessibility is Not an Option—It is a Necessity
Yurii Shevchuk emphasizes that developers, designers, and project managers must recognize that:

If a website does not comply with WCAG, a significant part of the population simply cannot use it.

Ukrainian digital services must adhere to international standards to be competitive.
An inaccessible website creates unnecessary barriers for people who already face challenges in their daily lives.

The war has demonstrated that access to medical data is not just a convenience but a matter of life and death. The faster digital services become secure and accessible to all, the more people will be able to receive the help they are entitled to.