Minister Vestre visited Kyiv and signed a health partnership agreement with Ukraine
News story | Date: 04/07/2025 | Ministry of Health and Care Services
Norway and Ukraine have recently signed an agreement on a health partnership. The agreement was signed in Kyiv on Tuesday, July 1.
‘I am pleased to be able to travel to Kyiv to sign this health partnership agreement. The agreement is an important milestone. It will help to strengthen health cooperation between Ukraine and Norway,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre and Ukraine's Minister of Health Viktor Liashko during Vestre's several-day visit to Lviv and Kyiv in Ukraine.
Closer cooperation between Norwegian and Ukrainian health services
Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre wants closer cooperation between Norway and Ukraine in the health sector.
‘Cooperation in the field of health is mutually beneficial for Norway and Ukraine. We can learn a lot from Ukraine in areas such as how to organise a health service in war, civil-military cooperation and the use of technology. From Norway's side, we can assist Ukraine in areas such as mental health, rehabilitation and antimicrobial resistance. Here we have a lot of expertise that is valuable for Ukraine at the moment,’ says Vestre.
The new health partnership agreement is comprehensive with the aim of deepening cooperation, improving health and countering the negative consequences in the health sector as a result of Russia's warfare in Ukraine. The agreement facilitates direct exchange of experience between the health administration, educational institutions and the health sector in Norway and Ukraine.
Extensive attacks on health institutions and civilian infrastructure
During his visit, the Minister of Health and Care Services saw the consequences of the Russian attacks up close. Among other things, he visited residential areas that were recently subjected to Russian air strikes.
Vestre also visited a number of health institutions during his trip to Lviv and Kyiv, including the national children's hospital Ohmatdyt in Kyiv, which was hit by Russian attacks a year ago. Since 2019, Norway has supported a project at this hospital, led by Sunnaas Hospital outside Oslo. The aim of the project is to build capacity in the physical rehabilitation of children.
‘It makes a strong impression to see the extensive consequences for Ukrainians of Russia's brutal attacks, and how the Ukrainian health system makes an impressive effort under extremely demanding conditions,’ says Vestre.
‘Healthcare professionals are making a heroic effort to save lives and alleviate physical and mental injuries as a result of the war, while many of them are also directly affected by the war personally,’ says Vestre.
Norwegian support to the health sector in Ukraine
Norway's military and civilian support to Ukraine is provided through the Nansen programme. The trip provided an opportunity to better understand how Norway's contribution also supports the health services in Ukraine.
‘Their fight for freedom is also our fight. We will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes. It is important for us to support Ukraine through the Nansen programme, we know it will benefit the health sector,’ says Vestre.
Norwegian support for the health sector is mainly provided through major international schemes and organisations such as the World Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), the EU, the World Health Organization (WHO), the vaccine alliance Gavi, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. In addition, Norway provides humanitarian support to the health sector, such as medical evacuation to Europe and treatment in Norway.
The new health partnership with Ukraine builds on a long-standing cooperation. Since 2019, Norway has had an institutional health partnership with Ukraine. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Akershus University Hospital, RVTS-Øst and Sunnaas Hospital collaborate with Ukrainian partners on issues such as antimicrobial resistance, mental health and physical rehabilitation.