IMPROVING THE USE OF MATERIAL RESOURCES IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AS A DETERMINANT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE HEALTH CARE SECTOR IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the role of material resources in health care facilities as a key factor in shaping a sustainable health care sector in Ukraine under martial law and the deepening of health care reform. The content and structure of the material and technical base of health care facilities are substantiated, and current trends in sector financing in 2025–2026 are analysed, in particular the growth of state budget expenditures, the strengthening role of the Program of Medical Guarantees, public investment projects and local budgets. It is shown that the material resources of health care facilities are formed under the simultaneous influence of infrastructure reconstruction, equipment modernisation, the development of a capable cluster network, the expansion of the “Affordable Medicines” and “Health Screening 40+” programmes, as well as digital transformation (eHealth, medical information systems, the Electronic Health Care System). The methodological framework of the study is based on systems and structural-functional analysis to determine the place and role of the material and technical base in the organisational and economic mechanism of health care facilities; regulatory and legal analysis to summarise the current regulatory framework governing the financing, accounting and use of material resources in the health sector; statistical analysis to study the volume and structure of budget expenditures on health care and investments in the material and technical base; and elements of expert assessment to develop proposals for improving mechanisms for managing material resources. Based on the research findings, a conceptual approach is substantiated that considers material resources as a determinant of the sustainable development of the health care sector. The methodological foundations for optimising the use of material resources are further developed, and key directions for transforming approaches to planning and managing material support for health care facilities under wartime threats are identified. These include the transition to a risk-oriented inventory management model, the formation of minimum reserve stocks, the decentralisation of storage, ensuring the autonomy of facilities in terms of energy and vital resources, as well as the active use of digital tools for cross-facility inventory reconciliation. The proposed approaches make it possible to enhance the resilience, continuity of functioning and competitiveness of health care facilities in the medical services market, combining security, economic and social dimensions of health system development.