Key points:
- In 2025, Ukraine approved its first rehabilitation standards and expanded its network of service providers
- A new master’s program was launched to train specialists in speech and language therapy
- The system faced problems with service quality, workload on specialists, and challenges of MSEC reform
- 2026 will be defined by the implementation of standards and monitoring of rehabilitation effectiveness
In 2025, the rehabilitation system in Ukraine simultaneously demonstrated growth and faced serious structural challenges. The year was a turning point for the industry, as the state took several strategic steps aimed at unifying approaches and expanding patient access to rehabilitation care, while exposing problems with quality and management.
According to the TRUE initiative of the Patients of Ukraine Charitable Foundation, a key achievement was the approval of the first national rehabilitation standards for patients with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and amputations. Standards for the treatment of stroke and fracture consequences are in the final stages of development. This creates a unified framework for medical institutions across the country and allows for a more consistent approach to patient care.
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An important step was the introduction of mandatory participation of rehabilitation specialists in multidisciplinary teams working with stroke patients. This practice makes it possible to begin recovery even in the acute phase of the disease and reduce the risk of disability. At the same time, in 2025, Ukraine launched its first licensed master’s program in speech and language therapy, created with the participation of experts from the US and European countries. The new specialty was a response to the growing needs of military and civilians who lost their ability to speak, swallow, or communicate fully due to the war.
An important step was the introduction of mandatory participation of rehabilitation specialists in multidisciplinary teams working with stroke patients. This practice makes it possible to begin recovery even in the acute phase of the disease and reduce the risk of disability. At the same time, in 2025, Ukraine launched its first licensed master’s program in speech and language therapy, created with the participation of experts from the US and European countries. The new specialty was a response to the growing needs of military and civilians who lost their ability to speak, swallow, or communicate fully due to the war.
Along with progress in 2025, systemic problems have also intensified. Some institutions continue to provide unproven or formal services under the guise of rehabilitation, while receiving state funding. Specialists in such institutions are often present only nominally, and patients with severe injuries end up in institutions that do not have the necessary capacity to treat such conditions.
The MSEC reform has created an additional burden. Despite positive changes related to digitization and electronic queuing, doctors and rehabilitation specialists are spending more and more time preparing documentation for the social sphere. Currently, about 7,000 doctors are involved in the updated EKOPFO system, which requires further redistribution of functions and optimization of processes.
The TRUE initiative emphasizes that 2026 will be a decisive year for the system. This involves the implementation of standards in everyday practice, the development of rehabilitation at the community level, the strengthening of pediatrics and intensive care, and the completion of the transformation of the MSEC with the transfer of non-core functions to the social sphere. The quality of services will increasingly determine the sustainability and effectiveness of rehabilitation in Ukraine.
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