THE PUBLIC HEALTH GOVERNANCE IN UKRAINE: CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS, STRUCTURE, AND PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

The article examines the characteristics of public health governance in Ukraine, including its constitutional foundations, organizational structure, and practical implementation at the central, regional, and local levels. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to ensure the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services under complex socio-economic conditions, regional disparities, and crises, including pandemics, military conflicts, and other emergencies that significantly affect the stability of the healthcare system. The aim of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the organizational structure and functions of public health governance, the identification of key problems and challenges that hinder the effective delivery of medical services, and the development of proposals to improve the quality of management processes. The study employs a systemic approach, methods of legal and regulatory analysis, comparative analysis of international experience, statistical evaluation, and management process analytics. Particular attention is paid to examining the interaction between central authorities, such as the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the National Health Service, with regional health administrations and local governments, as well as the role of the public and professional associations in decision-making and monitoring the provision of healthcare services. The results of the study indicate that public health governance in Ukraine is implemented through a multi-level coordination system that includes the application of regulatory, financial, personnel, organizational, and control mechanisms. Key challenges identified include unequal access to healthcare services across regions, system fragmentation, limited financial and human resources, insufficient digitalization, and low data integration for management decision-making. The article emphasizes that improving the efficiency of the system requires strengthening coordination among central, regional, and local governance bodies, optimizing resources, enhancing control and monitoring mechanisms, actively involving the public, and utilizing modern digital management tools. The implementation of these approaches is expected to improve the accessibility and quality of healthcare services, strengthen the institutional capacity of the system, and develop a more resilient model of public health governance adapted to contemporary challenges.