On May 21, 2014 the visit to Geneva of the Minister of Health of Ukraine Oleg Musii in the framework of the 67th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA, May 19-24, 2014) came to a close.

 O.Musii took part in the general discussion during the plenary session of the Assembly, drawing attention in his speech to the Ukrainian experience and current problems in providing health services during local conflicts. Thus, he appealed to the international medical community with a number of new initiatives, suggesting, inter alia, holding  in Ukraine a meeting to discuss mechanisms of protection of healthcare workers while performing their professional duties. O.Musii stressed the need to adopt a WHA resolution fixing the status of a medical officer as a free profession; to adhere to the principles of medical self-administration; as well as to ensure independence of a medical officer in making his professional decisions.

 During the WHA Minister of Health of Ukraine met with the leadership of the World Health Organization, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

 In addition, meetings with Ministers of Health of a number of countries were held, including the USA, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Cuba, during which current issues of cooperation were discussed.

 Experts from the Ministry of Health and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Office in Geneva, who are part of the official delegation of Ukraine, continue to work at the 67th WHA session, which will run until May 24.