The Ministry of Health has revealed details of the controversial appointment of Dorosh: the post is not a civil service position
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine commented on the appointment of Anna Dorosh following a request from ThePublic.
The Ministry’s response states that, by Order of the Ministry of Health No. 122-k of 23 April 2026 “On the Appointment of A.V. Dorosh”, Anna Dorosh was appointed to the post of assistant to the Minister’s patronage service.
According to the Ministry of Health, Dorosh’s official salary is 14,577 UAH.
What is known about her education and experience
The Ministry reported that Anna Dorosh holds a master’s degree in Political Science.
Her total work experience, according to the Ministry of Health, is over two years.
The Ministry of Health also noted that Dorosh has experience working in local government and central executive bodies.
She has worked at the Chernivtsi City Council, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. According to the Ministry, there she dealt with issues of international cooperation, European integration and the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to European Union law.
Why Dorosh’s position is not a civil service post
A key detail in the Ministry of Health’s response is that Anna Dorosh works specifically within the minister’s patronage service.
The ministry cited the Law “On Central Executive Bodies”. Under this law, the minister independently determines the personnel of his or her personal staff.
Staff of the minister’s private office are appointed and dismissed by the State Secretary of the Ministry upon the Minister’s recommendation. They are also dismissed in the event of the Minister’s own dismissal.
The Ministry of Health specifically emphasised: staff of the minister’s private office are not civil servants, but are employees of the minister’s private office.
What does the advisory service do?
The Ministry’s response states that the patronage service advises the Minister, prepares the necessary materials for the Ministry to carry out its tasks, and liaises with officials from other government bodies.
It also organises meetings, handles public and media relations, and carries out other tasks assigned by the minister.
According to the structure of the Ministry of Health and the ministry’s staffing table for 2026, seven posts are provided for in the patronage service.
These comprise three advisor posts, two assistant posts, as well as the posts of head and deputy head of the Minister’s patronage service.
Can there be allowances and bonuses?
The Ministry of Health has also stated that allowances and bonuses may be granted to staff of patronage services in state bodies.
Such payments are provided for under the terms of remuneration for patronage service staff, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1112 of 24 December 2019.
In other words, a salary of 14,577 UAH is not necessarily the final amount of remuneration if the employee is granted additional allowances or bonuses.
What was left out of the response
The Ministry of Health’s response clarified Anna Dorosh’s formal status: she has been appointed as an assistant to the minister’s patronage service, is not a civil servant, and the minister himself determines the personnel of such a service.
At the same time, the response makes no mention of a competitive procedure or public selection process for this position.
Nor did the Ministry of Health specify exactly what functions Dorosh performs in the Minister’s protocol or organisational support.
Why this story caused a stir
Previously, ThePublic reported that Anna Dorosh had announced on social media that she had started working in the protocol department of Health Minister Viktor Lyashko. Following this, discussions began online regarding her age, experience, declaration of assets and family background.
In her 2025 declaration, Dorosh was listed as the chief specialist of the expert group on the Green Deal, the environment and climate change at the Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration within the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers.
A previous article by ThePublic also noted that Dorosh had declared income from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Chernivtsi City Council and the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as cash gifts totalling 472,733 UAH.
That is why the main question following her appointment to Lyashko’s team concerned not only her age or experience, but also the mechanism of her appointment.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that this is a position within the minister’s patronage service – that is, a post which is not part of the civil service and is filled on the minister’s own recommendation.
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