Shopping

When we want to buy something, we go to a shop. There are many kinds of shops in every town or city, but most of them have a food supermarket, a department store, men's and women's clothing stores, grocery, a bakery and a butchery.

I like to do my shopping at big department stores and supermarkets. They sell various goods under one roof and this is very convenient. A department store, for example, true to its name, is composed of many departments: readymade clothes, fabrics, shoes, sports goods, toys, china and glass, electric appliances, cosmetics, linen, curtains, cameras, records, etc. You can buy everything you like there.

There are also escalators in big stores which take customers to different floors. The things for sale are on the counters so that they can be easily seen. In the women's clothing department you can find dresses, costumes, blouses, skirts, coats, beautiful underwear and many other things. In the men's clothing department you can choose suits, trousers, overcoats, ties, etc.

In the knitwear department one can buy sweaters, cardigans, short-sleeved and long-sleeved pullovers, woollen jackets. In the perfumery they sell face cream and powder, lipstick, lotions and shampoos.

In a food supermarket we can also buy many different things at once: sausages, fish, sugar, macaroni, flour, cereals, tea. At the butcher's there is a wide choice of meat and poultry. At the bakery you buy brown and white bread, rolls, biscuits.

Another shop we frequently go to is the greengrocery which is stocked by cabbage, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, beetroots, green peas and what not. Everything is sold here ready-weighed and packed. If you call round at a dairy you can buy milk, cream, cheese, butter and many other products.

The methods of shopping may vary. It may be a selfservice shop where the customer goes from counter to counter selecting and putting into a basket what he wishes to buy. Then he takes the basket to the check-out counter, where the prices of the purchases are added up. If it is not a self-service shop, and most small shops are not, the shop-assistant helps the customer in finding what he wants. You pay money to the cashier and he gives you back the change.

Questions:

1. What do we do when we want to buy something? 2. What kinds of shops are there in every town? 3. Where do you like to do your shopping? 4. What departments is a department store composed of? 5. Where are the things for sale? 6. What can we buy in the knitwear department? 7. What can we buy in a food supermarket? 8. What methods of shopping are there?

Health care in Ukraine

Doctors and Health Centres

Doctors are known as a likar and are the first point of contact with the Ukrainian health system. Citizens can register with the doctor of their choice, however, people seeking state medical care must make sure that their doctor is contracted into the health scheme. If you are treated by a doctor whether or not the doctor is covered by the state you will have to pay a fee.

GPs prescribe drugs, treat acute and chronic illnesses, and provide preventive care and health education.

Waiting times to see doctors vary and it is advised that you make an appointment in advance. If you need urgent help, you may go to the doctors surgery on speculation, but be prepared for a long wait.

Health centres in Ukraine are in an extremely poor state. The medical facilities are of a poor standard compared to Western standards; the medical equipment and facilities are in short supply compared to the high demand. All services, including doctors and nurses cost a lot of money which makes health care in health centres not always a feasible option for the ordinary citizen. The doctors and nurses who work in the health centres are not always fully trained in the health system.

Consultants

Consultants are senior doctors who have completed a higher level of specialised training. GPs refer patients to a Consultant if he believes that a patient may need specialist help and diagnosis. There are very few consultants in Ukraine, which therefore makes a high waiting list to see the Consultant doctors. The consultants are no different to a doctor in terms of them still asking for a fee, normally higher than a normal doctor due to their higher level medical skills.

Hospitals

Hospitals and clinics exist in all major towns and cities of Ukraine, but are nowhere near the standard which is required in Ukraine. Hospitals are dirty and the level of care in extremely low due to staff shortages. Patients are admitted to hospital either through the emergency department or through a referral by their doctor. Once a patient is admitted treatment is controlled by one of the hospital doctors. All hospital doctors require a fee which makes hospitalisation difficult for its citizens. Doctors and nurses are in short supply due to low wages which is resulting in doctors and nurses going abroad and offering their services. There may be a waiting list for some non-emergency treatments and services.

Emergency Care

Emergency care is supposedly to be free for everyone including those without state health insurance. However, once your condition is stabilised the doctor will probably ask for a fee for their services due to the low wages that the state provides. Emergency departments are open non-stop all year. You may use their services if you need immediate attention, or if your GP refers you to them, or if there is no GP service available.

Private Clinics

There are a few private practices in Ukraine which are provided by independent office-based doctors and specialists. The premises are funded largely by private insurance contributions, but it is used only by a small minority of people, often as a top up to the basic state healthcare and to cover them for the services deemed non-essential. The private hospitals are cleaner and the comfort factor is a lot higher than a state hospital, there are no waiting lists, but then there is a higher fee, which is not always a feasible option for the ordinary citizen.

Dentists

Dental care in Ukraine is expensive and not very many citizens can afford the dental care that is necessary, all dentist services are private in Ukraine. Dentists are known as a zubnyy likar. Dentists can be found in major cities of Ukraine normally where the income of the citizens are of the amount where they can afford dental care.

Pharmacies

Dispensing chemists known as an apteka sell medicines in Ukraine. Prescriptions known as prypysannia are generally not needed to buy medicines, which are normally tightly monitored in Western countries. There are many pharmacies throughout Ukraine and the cost of medicine from a pharmacy can be expensive as there is no monitoring of drug prices. Many pharmacies in the major cities are open 24 hours, so there is always access to pharmacy medicines.

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