Ukraine will create new systems to monitor biothreats - president

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the head of state said this in his speech at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Responses" in Kyiv on Monday, February 8.

"We need to strengthen and create new systems for monitoring biological threats, including research on the spread of pathogens in the animal world that are at risk of spreading to humans. We need to create an accessible, clear and comprehensive system for monitoring and forecasting biological threats in Ukraine and the world," Zelensky said.

He added that Ukraine and the world can overcome all these challenges only together.

Zelensky also said that Ukraine had something to be proud of in counteracting COVID-19.

"Frankly speaking, the state of the medical system we inherited left no chance to avoid collapse and avoid catastrophe. The system of laboratories was destroyed, and there were five of them left for the whole country. The vertical of state sanitary doctors, laboratory assistants, epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists was destroyed. In fact, we collected them across the country manually," he said.

Zelensky recalled that at the beginning of the pandemic there was a lack of medical devices and equipment, and "we saw empty shelves" in the state reserve, but Ukraine quickly organized supplies from other countries and later launched large-scale Ukrainian production.

He also recalled an increase in salaries for doctors battling COVID-19 to 300%, as well as an increase in payments to health workers at all levels.

In addition, Zelensky noted that the lockdown last spring help "win important precious time."

The January lockdown, according to the president, helped significantly increase the number of hospital beds.

The three-day All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Responses" started in Kyiv on February 8.

op