The number and scale of corruption scandals involving officials from medical and social expert commissions (MSEC) are on the rise. Law enforcement has discovered millions of dollars in cash, expensive jewelry, and cars among specialists with modest salaries. Investigations frequently reveal that MSEC employees own luxurious real estate both in Ukraine and abroad.
A striking example of circular corruption in the medical field is the Khmelnytskyi region. Initially, The head of the regional MSEC, Tatyana Krupa, and her son, who heads the local Pension Fund, were exposed for illegal enrichment. It then became apparent that Krupa had granted disability status to 49 prosecutors from Khmelnytskyi region — this was the last straw. Following the scandal involving the prosecutors, the head of the Khmelnytskyi regional prosecutor's office, Alexey Oleynik, resigned voluntarily, as did the Attorney General of Ukraine, Andrey Kostin, later on.
The central government began to take decisive action: President Volodymyr Zelensky convened a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on October 22 due to numerous abuses by officials and dissolved all commissions. The head of state specifically criticized the Minister of Health, Viktor Lyashko, and the Minister of Social Policy, Oksana Zholnovich, for their "very unconvincing reports" on corruption within the MSEC.
In response, Lyashko stated that he has no intention of resigning amid the scandals surrounding the medical and social expert commissions. He believes that writing a statement is easier than reforming the structure, and the heads of the MSEC do not fall under his jurisdiction.
The medical and social expert commissions will cease to operate as separate legal entities by January 1, 2025. The central MSEC is expected to be dissolved by the end of the current week. Commission heads should no longer hold leadership positions in healthcare institutions, according to Viktor Lyashko.
"We have been preparing for this by strengthening the material and technical base of the subordinate institute in Dnipro. We saw that the central MSEC was only a visual examination, after which people were sent to clinical bases in Dnipro and Vinnytsia," the minister explained.
All MSEC functions will be transferred to cluster and super-cluster hospitals. These institutions have at least 20 areas of medical assistance and are connected to the electronic healthcare system (EHS). This allows tracking which doctor diagnosed a patient, when, and what tests were conducted.
In light of the need to restore order in the disability assignment system, it is essential to eliminate experiments on people. Many military personnel or civilians who have sustained injuries will require prompt disability registration, but the corresponding structure may not exist, emphasizes Victor Serdyuk, President of the All-Ukrainian Council for the Protection of Patients' Rights and Safety.
According to the expert, it will not be possible to establish a clear operational system in just over two months. Tens of thousands of people will find themselves in limbo.
"The staff working with patients and documents needs to be trained. Take any area and conduct an experiment: implement a new structure and let it demonstrate its effectiveness," Serdyuk reflects.
For a person with a disability who requires home care, traveling to a cluster hospital to confirm their disability may be extremely inconvenient. A temporary solution could be automatic recognition of disability for elderly individuals with clearly defined physical issues.
The liquidation of the MSEC, according to senior partner of the law firm "Kraveц and Partners," Rostislav Kravets, will conceal those responsible for corruption crimes. Additionally, individuals who lose their disability status but have the appropriate medical examinations and evaluations will file lawsuits against the state.
The lawyer recalls the history of the liquidation of the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate (GASI) under the pretext of fighting corruption. Zelensky called this body a "corruption tick," while Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal referred to it as the "root of corruption." Ultimately, the powers of GASI were transferred to the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Development (GIAU), but corruption in the construction sector persisted.
"Has anything fundamentally changed in the construction sector? Just the name and the signage of the state body. There is no strategic vision for reforms from the authorities. Many questions remain: what will happen to disabled individuals during the absence of the MSEC? We still need an agency to establish disability or fitness levels. Disability cannot be digitalized, as each case is unique," the lawyer emphasizes.
Kravets recalled the story of digitizing military registration: summons began reaching active military personnel, reserved employees of critical enterprises, or those with a deferment from conscription.
"What is the point of repeatedly summoning a person to the TCC if they were there yesterday for a military medical commission and received a deferment? It creates yet another illusion of work and supposedly advances the process of digitalization," Kravets concluded.
It is worth noting that fake disability degrees were widely issued not only to prosecutors but also to customs officials, tax officials, pension fund employees, and local administrations. The SBU previously stated that 64 MSEC officials received suspicions.