A Guide of Rare (Orphan) Diseases has been introduced into the Electronic Healthcare System(eHealth, EHCS) using the international OrphaCode coding system. The changes have been implemented in accordance with Order No. 60 of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, dated 15 January 2026, "On Approval of the Rare Disease (Orphan) ."

The new reference guide contains over 7,000 rare nosological entities, each of which has been assigned a unique international code in accordance with the Orphanet classification. At the same time, a correspondence table linking OrphaCode and ICD-10 codes has been approved, ensuring integration of the new approach with the current disease classification system.

At present, diagnoses in the Electronic Healthcare System (eHealth, EHCS) are recorded using the ICD-10-AM classification; however, this does not always allow for the sufficiently accurate identification of certain rare diseases.The use of OrphaCode international codes significantly expands the scope of medical documentation and provides a basis for more detailed record-keeping of patients with orphan conditions.

This development is particularly important for ophthalmology, as a number of hereditary and rare eye disorders belong to the category of orphan diseases. Accurate coding of these conditions will help to improve diagnostic accuracy, patient monitoring, and the collection of reliable clinical data.

The introduction of an international coding system will enable more accurate recording of patients with rare diseases, improve the planning of medical care and access to necessary treatment, facilitate the use of a single international terminology aligned with the Orphanet database, and promote scientific research, international cooperation and an improvement in the quality of statistical data within the healthcare system.

The introduction of the Rare Disease (Orphan) Reference Guide into Ukraine's Electronic Healthcare System (eHealth, EHCS) marks an important milestone in the digital transformation of Ukrainian medicine. It also brings the national healthcare system closer to European standards for the management of patients with rare diseases.

View the Guide of Rare (Orphan) Diseases and the code correspondence table.

Source: Ministry of Health of Ukraine.