Expanding Access to Medicines in Ukraine: SAFEMED Supports the “Ukrpost.Pharmacy” Campaign

In the face of ongoing war, Ukraine continues to demonstrate resilience and innovation in ensuring access to essential health services. In 2024, the country’s national postal service, Ukrpost, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU), and the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine launched the Ukrpost.Pharmacy initiative.

This groundbreaking program allows Ukrainians to order medicines online—including those available under the Affordable Medicines Program (AMP)—and receive them at their nearest Ukrpost branch, with free delivery. The service plays a critical role in restoring access to high-quality, safe medicines, especially in areas where pharmacies have been damaged or closed due to the war. 

With support from USAID, the MSH-led SAFEMed Activity helped strengthen this effort by piloting a targeted communication campaign in Donetsk region during August and September 2024. The campaign’s impact was immediate: NHSU reported a marked increase in filled prescriptions under the AMP. In the third quarter of 2024 alone, 179,719 electronic prescriptions were issued in the Donetsk region, 71% of which were reimbursed.

Following this success, and with SAFEMed’s continued support, the MOH expanded the campaign in December 2024 to seven additional regions in the frontlines: Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv. These regions face persistent challenges in accessing essential medicines due to ongoing instability.

To reach vulnerable populations, the campaign deployed a broad communication strategy: national and regional media coverage, informational brochures for family doctors, radio spots, and a strong presence on social media. The result: over one million views and significantly increased awareness of the Ukrpost.Pharmacy initiative.  

MSH, through SAFEMed, is proud to support the Government of Ukraine’s commitment to equitable access to essential medicines, even in the most challenging settings.