Use of antibiotics in Ukraine has grown by 3.5 times – health minister

He said this during a question-and-answer session in the Verkhovna Rada on Friday, November 6, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"As for the supply of medicines, especially antibiotics, we have really increased the consumption of antibiotics by 3.5 times compared to last year," Stepanov said.

He added that Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers, as part of cooperation with the Health Ministry, had been fully supplied with raw materials, but "if antibiotics have disappeared in a certain pharmacy, i.e. they have not been delivered; I think these are only isolated cases."

Stepanov also urged Ukrainians not to self-medicate, not to buy antibiotics without a doctor's prescription.

At the same time, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in turn, said that the government was closely monitoring the situation regarding the provision of medicines and personal protective equipment, as well as cooperating with Ukrainian producers on their production plans.

"We are monitoring and managing these processes," he added.

On October 26, Deputy Minister of Health for European Integration Ihor Ivashchenko said that with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of antibiotics has increased significantly, while Ukraine receives fewer drugs from Europe. Therefore, in order to prevent a potential shortage of antibiotics during the pandemic, the Ministry of Health works closely with Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers to determine mechanisms for organizing production and meeting the public's demand for antibiotics.

op