Combat medicine at the core of the updated Military Medical Doctrine

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has developed a draft of the updated Military Medical Doctrine, which is to be adopted under the Government’s Action Program. 

The draft document was presented during the annual ‘Human Dimension in the Military’ conference held in Kyiv. 

According to Major of the Medical Service Dmytro Samofalov, Acting Head of the Health Department of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the updated document places combat medicine at its core as a response to wartime challenges, unlike the current doctrine, which largely reflects peacetime realities. At the same time, military medicine will continue to develop in accordance with the principles of an integrated healthcare environment and close collaboration with the civilian healthcare system.

A key structural innovation of the draft doctrine is the clear delineation of functions between the Ministry of Defence, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Command of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the medical services of all components of the Defence Forces, the Ministry of Health, and other government bodies. This aims to eliminate duplication, enhance command efficiency, and ensure a clear division of authority and accountability. 

The draft proposes establishing a Central Military Medical Directorate (CMMD) within the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

The CMMD will oversee the entire spectrum of military medicine, whereas the MoD Health Department will formulate overarching policies and develop strategies to advance military medicine. In turn, the Command of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be responsible for the hospital system and the medical treatment of service members.

For the first time, the doctrine gives considerable attention not only to patients but also to the safety and role of medical personnel within the military medical system.

Furthermore, the draft doctrine defines medical planning as an integral element of operational planning at all levels, making the participation of medical service representatives in unit planning and activities mandatory.

The proposed document also clearly defines the components of the military medical system — by types of medical care (emergency, primary, specialized, palliative, and rehabilitative), by stages (tactical pre-hospital, pre-hospital, and hospital), and by Roles (R1–R4). 

The adoption of the document will help eliminate existing gaps in the regulatory framework, clearly define the responsibilities of all entities within the military medical system, and enhance the quality of medical care provided to service members.

Reference information: The Military Medical Doctrine is a core normative document that defines the organization of medical support in the Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine. It establishes scientifically based principles, unified requirements, and rules governing interaction among medical services to safeguard the health of military personnel and to provide care, treatment, and rehabilitation in combat and emergency conditions. The current Military Medical Doctrine was approved by Resolution No. 910 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated October 31, 2018.