By Vadym RYZHKOV, The Day, Dnipropetrovsk

Photo by Mykhailo MARKIV

President Viktor Yushchenko is an easy target these days, but one should admit that, unlike his predecessors, during his incumbency he has shown sincere care for the problems of the family, maternity, and children. Clearly, a reason for this was not merely the country's dangerous demographic situation, but personal motives as well: it is no secret that the head of state has five children.

During his recent sojourn in Kryvy Rih, where a maternity hospital was opened after reconstruction, Yushchenko stated that the birth rate in the country has considerably increased. The number of children born per year has risen from 413,000 in 2005 to 510,000 in 2008. As a result, the country's demographic situation has returned to its early 1990s levels, which in itself is a reason for optimism.

President Yushchenko sees the increase in the birth rate as an immediate result of the state policy in recent years. "In 2005 we were arguing where to start in order to improve the demographic situation, which was the worst in Europe. Then the program of family planning support was introduced, according to which the aid for the first baby was increased to 8,000 hryvnias." In the first year alone 1.7 billion hryvnias was given to the young parents, while in 2008 the figure rose to 6.1 billion. Now the state provides 12,000 hryvnias for the first child born, 25,000 for the second one, and 50,000 for the third and each consecutive child.

Yushchenko believes that the best developments have taken place in families with many children: five years ago only 3,000 women had the status of Heroine Mother, which is conferred on women who have 10 or more children, whereas now there are 11,000 of them. Equally successful is the situation with the reduction of child mortality rate and the adoption of orphans and children left without parental care.

"Not so long ago," Yushchenko admitted, "I was ashamed to go by car in Kyiv, because I saw people, including children, near each garbage box." Now the annual orphan adoption rate in Ukraine has increased to 19,000, and people wishing to adopt a child have to wait for three years.

The financial condition of families with more than 10 children has considerably improved. Following the president's appeal, wealthy sponsors provided aid to these families: each one was given a remodeled apartment or even a private house, a car or a minibus, and a complete set of household appliances. Yushchenko noted, "Some time ago the yellow press wrote that with my policy to increase the birth rate I will support only prostitutes. But now it can be stated that neither Poles, nor Slovaks have a program of family support like ours."

The birth rate has already exceeded the mortality rate in four regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv. Unfortunately, industrial oblasts do not as yet belong to this category. However, Yushchenko admitted that the city of Kryvy Rih may serve as an example of the proper policy in sphere. The authorities of this megalopolis have wisely used their share of money from the resale of Kryvorizhstal. They invested nearly 139 million hryvnias in the modernization of the city's medical institutions, including maternity hospital No. 2, and invited the head of state to the opening ceremony. "The money received from privatization did not go into someone's pocket, nor was it wasted. It was invested in the policy of development and transformed into an aid that benefits dozens of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians," emphasized the president.