Switzerland will fund two projects in Ukraine in the fields of oncology and laboratory diagnostics.
According to the Ministry of Health, Ukraine and Switzerland are launching 12 joint projects in energy, housing construction, education, healthcare, and humanitarian demining. The total investment exceeds 93 million Swiss francs.
This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Svyrydenko, after a meeting with Switzerland’s Special Representative for Reconstruction, Jacques Herber.
The initiatives are implemented under an intergovernmental agreement and are financed both by the Swiss government and Swiss businesses.
Among the supported areas is healthcare. Within this support, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) will fund two medical projects aimed at significantly strengthening Ukraine’s capabilities in oncology and laboratory diagnostics. These projects will be carried out by the Swiss companies Innovatec Med and Roche Diagnostics in partnership with Ukrainian medical institutions.
Currently, Innovatec Med, together with the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Oncology Center, has already begun preparations to establish Ukraine’s first national treatment and training center for interstitial brachytherapy, called “CancerCare IF.” The project will enhance hospitals’ capacity for timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer according to modern standards.
Specifically, within this initiative, plans include a major renovation of over 600 m² of premises, installation of modern radiotherapy equipment, and the creation of inclusive and energy-efficient infrastructure.
Special attention is given to staff training: the center will host a permanent educational unit for clinical training. Each year, more than 200 oncology patients will be treated here, including those from de-occupied and frontline regions. Additionally, annual training will be provided for over 65 Ukrainian medical professionals.
The total project budget amounts to 3.44 million Swiss francs, of which over 2.7 million is provided by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the remaining 444,000 francs is invested by Innovatec Med.
The second supported project is implemented by Roche Diagnostics in partnership with Lviv’s First Medical Association. This involves the construction of a separate three-story laboratory building covering more than 3,600 m². The laboratory will be equipped with automated systems meeting international ISO standards. Staff will be trained to use advanced digital data management tools.
The laboratory is expected to become a key element of the healthcare system for all of Western Ukraine, serving approximately 250,000 internally displaced persons in the region. The initiative ensures continuous medical services with a particular focus on the needs of vulnerable patients.
The total project budget is 11 million Swiss francs, of which 8.82 million is financed by SECO and 2.2 million is Roche Diagnostics’ own contribution.
For reference, both projects are part of Swiss-Ukrainian cooperation in the restoration and transformation of the healthcare system. They align with the priorities of Ukraine’s National Health Strategy and will expand access to modern diagnostics and oncology treatment, strengthen professional training for Ukrainian doctors and medical specialists, and improve the quality and continuity of healthcare for all patients
