Institutional capacity of public authorities in the field of healthcare: the Ukrainian context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the institutional role of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of healthcare, taking into account the transformational processes caused by reforms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

The methodological basis of the study is an institutional approach combined with elements of political analysis, which allows interpreting the activities of state authorities as a systemic interaction between political, administrative, and expert components. The study uses content analysis, comparative analysis, and systematisation of regulatory and legal sources.

The study reveals the evolution of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine from a technocratic body to an entity of strategic political influence, especially in the context of the implementation of the 2016–2019 medical reform. The functional features of the Ministry of Health as a leading institutional actor shaping medical policy are highlighted, and the key challenges facing the ministry are identified: frequent changes in leadership, resource shortages, policy fragmentation, and external pressure.

The article proposes a number of practical recommendations for institutionalising the analytical capacity of the Ministry of Health and deepening expert support for the legislative process in the Verkhovna Rada. It outlines the potential for creating specialised parliamentary and government analytical units focused on data-driven policy-making, drawing on interdisciplinary expertise.

The article proves that the success of medical reforms depends not only on political will, but also on the institutional stability of the bodies that implement them. The Ministry of Health and parliament should play a leading role in shaping long-term, systematic and evidence-based health policy capable of responding to the challenges of war and ensuring national security through the preservation of public health.