In June alone, wage arrears in Ukraine’s healthcare system increased by 20 percent, indicating that the government is not capable to support the fight against the epidemic, with its new rise being expected in the fall. This was stated by OPPOSITION PLATFORM – FOR LIFE MP Serhiy Lovochkin, commenting on the most recent data by the State Statistics Service.

According to the data, wage arrears in healthcare started rising again in June, having increased by 20 percent over the month. Since early 2021, the wage arrears in healthcare grew by 230 percent.

“The threefold increase of indebtedness to healthcare workers that arose year to date is the best ‘incentive’ for our doctors and nurses to quit and go to work in the countries that pay decent wages. Not just promised ones, but paid ones. 2020 set a record high in the number of healthcare workers quitting their jobs, and with current approach of the government, the 2021 might as well see another record. The Cabinet does its best to ruin Ukrainian healthcare system and does so on the eve of the new surge of the pandemic, expected in the fall,” Lovochkin said.

The politician added that indebtedness to healthcare workers is just a part of a bigger crisis with wages. In manufacturing industry, wage arrears grew by 7 percent in June, and by one third year to date.

“The mining industry feels the worst, with wage arrears having grown by 30 percent in June, and by 90 percent since the beginning of the year. While energy resources get more expensive across the globe, this situation is hardly explainable,” the MP says.

“As we see, our parliamentary faction’s mistrust to the government is absolutely just. We are not going to wait until the parliament gathers to raise the question on paying the wages to healthcare and manufacturing industry workers. We demand it now, for this crisis must be resolved immediately,” Lovochkin said.