The Ministry of Defence has presented the concept for the reform of Military Medical Commissions

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Health, has presented a draft reform of Military Medical Commissions (MMCs) aimed at significantly overhauling the outdated system.  

The presentation was held during a topic-specific meeting of the Donor Council for Institutional Reforms of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, attended by Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk, Deputy Minister of Defence Kateryna Chernohorenko, and Deputy Minister of Health Edem Adamanov.

“For decades, the core tenets of the military medical commissions have remained unchanged. The current system is a vestige of the old administrative approach. The system is riddled with flaws, excessive bureaucracy, and corruption risks. We have to mitigate these risks significantly. “Therefore, I am grateful for the support of the reform from all the partners and NGOs involved in the launch of this project,” said Deputy Minister of Defence, Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk.

The participants of the meeting noted that the current system of military medical commissions has two main drawbacks. On the one hand, it allows individuals to avoid military service without legal grounds. On the other hand, it fails to prevent people with severe medical conditions from enlisting, which creates additional challenges for the Armed Forces.

The reform will separate the Military Medical Commission's decisions into two distinct data sets: medical and administrative. Some specialists will conduct medical examinations for the MMC, while others will analyze the anonymized results of these examinations.

Undergoing a military medical examination with the MMC will no longer require visits to the enlistment offices. Individuals liable for military service will be able to independently choose the hospital where they wish to undergo a medical examination. Data from there will be transferred into the Electronic Healthcare System (EHS).

Subsequently, data from the EHS will be integrated into the Armed Forces' medical information system, which is being modernized for this reform. Specifically, the MMC electronic office and the technical capability to receive data from the EHS will be developed. The Military Medical Commission will receive data about the individual, review it, and make administrative decisions. 

The anonymized data will be sent to a random commission, whose members will be unaware of whose documents they are reviewing. This will prevent any possibility of manipulation and misuse.

“As of today, in the context of the MMC, we have outdated bureaucratic standards that work slowly and fail to inspire confidence among citizens.  This reform is necessary to ensure that those liable for military service can trust the system and undergo medical examinations in civilian facilities. They should be assured that their rights are protected and that, after the medical examination, they will not be immediately deemed fit for service if they indeed have any health conditions. We propose to create a transparent and understandable process that will lay the foundation for trusting relationships and ensure that fair conclusions are made,” said Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence for Digital Development.

After each decision, the digital footprint will be traceable, including the electronic signatures of both the doctor and the MMC employee. The conclusions of the commissions will be retained. All of this will streamline the inspection and monitoring of the activities of the MMC by law enforcement agencies.

The reform will be rolled out in three phases and is expected to conclude by November 2025.

Reference information: The Donor Council for Institutional Reforms of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is a platform for coordination and communication between the Ministry of Defence and donors concerning developing and implementing reforms in the defense sector. Thematic meetings of the MoD Donor Council are organized to involve donors in implementing projects aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s strategic priorities.