The role of local self-government bodies and local state administrations in the development of cross-border cooperation in the field of healthcare

Abstract

The article examines the role of local self­government bodies and local state administrations in the development of cross-border cooperation in the field of health care. It was determined that currently, the development of cross-border cooperation in the field of health care is particularly important for Ukraine with the member states of the European Union, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania in the conditions of existing challenges, external threats, and taking into account the European vector of Ukraine's development. It is necessary to overcome several legal and administrative obstacles that still exist today for the development of systemic cross-border cooperation in the field of health care. A significant role in the development of efficient and systematic cross-border cooperation in the field of health care belongs to local self­government bodies and local state administrations together with other participants of such cooperation aiming to provide citizens of Ukraine equal rights to access to quality medical care with citizens of the European Union. Such cooperation can develop through available Interreg programs 2021-2027, namely "Poland - Ukraine”, "Ukraine-Hungary- Slovakia-Romania”, and "Ukraine-Romania”. It has been established that local self-government bodies and local state administrations can ensure the development of cross-border cooperation in the field of health care through the respective powers granted to them. They can implement cross-border cooperation in the field of health care with relevant subjects and/or participants of such cooperation of neighboring states through the development and implementation of joint initiatives, measures, projects, programs and strategies, as well as to create the Euroregional Co-operation Groupings and European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation in order to develop an appropriate health care system for the population living in border regions.