The law abolishing the status of "limited fit" will enter into force on May 4. From May 18, when the new law on mobilization will enter into force, those who were previously recognized as limited fit for service will begin to be re-summoned to the medical commission at the territorial recruit center (TRC). Conscripts will have nine months to undergo a repeat military medical examination (MMC) and receive a new opinion — “fit” or “unfit” for military service.
As the director of the health care department of the Ministry of Defense Oksana Sukhorukova said in an interview with ZN.UA, the status of "limited fit" is really disappearing, while at the same time clear rules are being formed — "fit" or "unfit".
In general, according to her, there will be four categories that will determine what tasks conscripts are suitable for:
- fit (fully);
- fit for service in a higher military educational institution (HMEI), in TRC, support units, institutions, organizations, but not suitable for service in the HMEI, Marine Corps, SSO, special-purpose units, floating warehouse, etc.;
- fit for certain specialties (for example, candidates for admission to higher educational institutions);
- fit for specific tasks.
As Sukhorukova reported, the relevant changes were launched two weeks ago by the Ministry of Defense together with the Command of the Medical Forces. The changes will apply to the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 402 "On the approval of the Regulation on military medical examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine." The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health, health experts and the public worked on the revision of the changes.
"We prescribe the terms of order No. 402 in more detail. Diseases are linked to ICD-10 and criteria are described when a person is unfit or fit, i.e. when the condition is severe, medium and light according to this group of diseases," said Sukhorukova.
According to her, the updated criteria contain several thousand diagnoses. In each group of diseases, there can be both completely suitable and unsuitable, depending on the degree of functional impairment.
"For example, if a person has a history of ulcers and only a scar remains, it is suitable. And if the ulcer was complicated, surgical intervention was performed with the removal of a large part of the stomach, then the person is unfit. It is about compliance with the criteria of a military serviceman or a conscript and their ability to perform certain functions," said the director of the Ministry of Defenseʼs health care department.