Analysis of the Availability of Botulinum Toxin Type A in the Treatment of Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy in Ukraine: A Survey of Doctors

Abstract

In Ukraine, about 100,000 children suffer from nervous system disorders, with cerebral palsy (CP) being the leading cause of childhood disability. The European Registry of Children with Cerebral Palsy emphasizes the urgency of this problem. The objective: to analyze the supply, availability, and use of Botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy in children in Ukraine. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from October 2019 to December 2020, and it included monitoring the supply and availability of medicines, collecting quantitative and qualitative data from various sources, and interviewing 64 doctors. Results. This research highlights disparities in medicine supply satisfaction across Ukraine, with surveys of doctors indicating varying degrees of effectiveness in regions like Kyiv and Kharkiv compared to challenges in Zhytomyr and the Kyiv region. Key issues include surplus medicines, unethical distribution practices, and systemic inefficiencies such as lack of patient registries and insufficient funding. The findings suggest an urgent need for regulatory reforms, enhanced healthcare logistics, and infrastructure improvements to achieve equitable healthcare access nationwide. Conclusions. This study highlights significant challenges in delivering Botulinum toxin type A for spastic cerebral palsy in Ukraine, including systemic inefficiencies, funding shortages, and procurement delays. It emphasizes the need for policy reforms, improved communication, and digital information access to ensure equitable and efficient healthcare. Urgent improvements are advocated to address these issues and enhance patient care nationwide.