12
08/2026
Partner Spotlight — Disease Prevention
The interview with Nataliia Rodina, General Director of the State Institution “Kyiv Oblast Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine,” was prepared on the occasion of European Immunization Week 2024, as part of the joint project between Ukraine’s National Immunization Portal and the regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs), implemented with the support of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. In the interview, Ms. Rodina points to the collaboration with the International Charitable Foundation “Contribution to Medicine Development” as a key driver behind one of the region’s strongest results in immunization outreach.
Ms. Rodina, could you share one successful case in immunization that you, as head of the CDC, are especially proud of?
One of the strongest results we’ve achieved in infectious and non-communicable disease prevention — including immunization — is our program of “Health Towns”: information and wellness events organized across communities throughout Kyiv Oblast, including remote settlements. These events are run with the active participation of specialists from the Kyiv Oblast Center for Disease Control and Prevention, together with primary healthcare providers, local government bodies, the International Charitable Foundation “Contribution to Medicine Development,” and other partner organizations.
At each Health Town, we run a full slate of information and outreach activities. Visitors — typically 100 to 300 people per event — receive printed materials on the importance of vaccination and healthy lifestyles, complete screening questionnaires on their personal disease risk factors, and get one-on-one consultations on vaccination and preventable infections. Adults are vaccinated on the spot against serious diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, and COVID-19. Beyond immunization, attendees also access a range of medical services: consultations with a family doctor, an ophthalmologist, and an endocrinologist, along with blood pressure checks, blood glucose testing, and BMI measurement. Through this campaign, we’ve not only protected many residents directly through vaccination, but also raised broader public awareness of why immunization matters.
Do you consider this case significant for the population of the entire oblast?
Yes, I believe this initiative matters for the whole region. The information and wellness activities delivered through the Health Towns directly target the prevention of both infectious and non-communicable diseases — conditions with a major impact on public health. Because the services are made accessible to such a wide cross-section of residents, including those in harder-to-reach communities, the program’s reach and relevance extend well beyond any single town or district.
The International Charitable Foundation “Contribution to Medicine Development” is proud to support the Kyiv Oblast Center for Disease Control and Prevention in bringing the Health Towns initiative to communities across the region.
