Answers to important questions about charitable activities in the healthcare sector of Belarus

Since September 12, Presidential Decree No. 304 “On foundations and charitable activities in the field of health care” has been in force in Belarus. Its main goal is to ensure that the assistance reaches the specific person for whom the funds are collected, and the process itself is transparent and controlled. The website of the Ministry of Justice contains detailed answers to frequently asked questions about the application of Decree No. 304 and changes in charitable activities in the field of health care.

Illustrative photo by SB 1. For what purposes can the collected funds be spent? The funds collected within the framework of charitable activities in the field of health can be used exclusively for payment of medical care, purchase of medicines, medical nutrition, medical devices (medical products, medical equipment), including outside the Republic of Belarus, as well as for financing the passage of an individual in need of medical care and one person accompanying him (if necessary), to the place of medical care and back and their residence at the place of medical care. 2. How can individuals raise funds to finance medical care by opening personal accounts of telecom operators? Individuals can organize the financing of medical care also through the personal account of the subscriber of the mobile telecommunications operator to collect funds for the provision of medical care. The subscriber’s personal account is used on the basis of a contract for the provision of telecommunication services, which must also contain the details of the charity account. At the same time, the subscriber is responsible for the reliability of the details of such a charitable account. The funds collected through the use of the subscriber’s personal account are subject to daily transfer to the charitable account of an individual. 3. Should an individual provide any reporting on the use of funds collected for medical care? Yeah, it should. Information on the receipt and expenditure of funds collected within the framework of charitable activities in the field of health should be provided by individuals to local executive and administrative bodies. Such information should be complete, reliable and contain accurate data on the expenditure of funds collected in the framework of charitable activities in the field of health, indicating the amount of payments made for the stated purposes. Also, an individual must bring information about the receipt and expenditure of collected funds to the public. The provision and placement of this information must be carried out annually no later than March 31. 4. What actions should an individual take if, after using the funds collected within the framework of charitable activities, some of them remained unclaimed? If, as a result of using the collected funds for the purposes for which charitable accounts were opened, funds remained unclaimed, then individuals who opened a charitable account must transfer such funds to other charitable accounts within two months from the date of formation of unclaimed funds. 5. Can an individual open multiple charity accounts? No, an individual has the right to open only one charity account for himself due to the need for medical care or to collect funds for the provision of medical care to his relative. At the same time, if both the individual himself and his relative need medical care, this individual has the right to open: a charity account for collecting funds for himself and a charity account for collecting funds for providing medical care to his relative. 6. How can bloggers participate in fundraising for health care? Bloggers have the right to transfer their money to open charity accounts, as well as to post on their accounts, pages in messengers information about charitable fees announced by other persons. The blogger is entitled to collect funds only if he or his relatives need medical care. 7. What documents should an individual provide to the bank when opening a charity account? To open a charity account, an individual must provide the following documents to the bank:

an application for opening a charity account, which indicates the purpose of its opening and the maximum amount (limit) of collection of funds;

a medical document confirming the presence of the disease of a person in need of medical care;

copies of documents confirming the marriage relationship and (or) relations of kinship, or a copy of the decision (extracts from it) on adoption (adoptation), a copy of the decision on the establishment of custody (guardianship) - in the case of opening an account to collect funds for the provision of medical assistance to the spouse, close relatives (parents, adoptive parents (adoptors), children, including adopted (adopted), siblings, grandfather, grandmother, grandchildren), minors and (or) adult persons under the guardianship of these individuals. 8. Who is entitled to raise money for medical care? Fundraising for the provision of medical care can be announced by individuals who themselves need medical care or if their relatives need such assistance, as well as institutions, public associations and foundations.

On measures taken to implement the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of September 7, 2026 No. 304 "On foundations and charitable activities in the field of health care on September 7, the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 304 "On foundations and charitable activities in the field of health care", which comprehensively regulates the legal basis of organization and participation in charitable activities in the field of health care, as well as the creation, activities and liquidation of funds.

The Decree establishes entities that have the right to organize the collection of funds, entities that have the right to participate in such collections, the procedure for opening charitable accounts, as well as a mechanism for monitoring the targeted use of collected funds.

Subjects that can organize the collection are: individuals (in case of need of their or their relatives in the provision of medical care), institutions, public associations and foundations.

The listed entities have the right to collect funds by opening charitable accounts in banks in accordance with the legislation. In this case, an individual has the right to open no more than one charity account for each of the purposes of collection.

It is also possible to collect funds through the use of personal accounts of cellular subscribers. In accordance with the Decree, the funds collected in this way are subject to daily transfer to an open charity account. The transfer itself will be carried out directly by the operator.

For these purposes, the Decree stipulates that the subscriber’s personal account is used on the basis of a contract for the provision of telecommunications services, which, in addition to the essential conditions established by law, must also contain the details of the charity account, to which funds collected through the use of the subscriber’s personal account are subject to daily transfer. Responsibility for the accuracy of the details of such a charity account is borne by the subscriber.

For public associations and foundations, there is another way to collect funds – in addition to opening charitable accounts, they can also install cash collection boxes.

All individuals and legal entities, without exception, can participate in the announced fee by making their own funds in the form of donations or by disseminating information on the announced charity fee on information resources.

After the end of the collection, the collected funds are transferred on behalf of individuals in need of medical care to the accounts of health care institutions indicated by them to pay for the necessary medical care.

If any part of the collected funds after payment of all necessary payments remains unclaimed, then individuals who opened a charity account are obliged to transfer such funds to other charitable accounts opened in the framework of charitable activities in the field of health care.

Upon reaching the limit size (limit) of the collection of funds, individuals are obliged within two working days from the date of receipt of information on reaching the limit size (limit) to announce the end of the collection of funds, and in the case of using the subscriber's personal account, also ensure its closure.

To ensure the protection of persons in need of assistance, as well as persons who make donations, the Decree establishes a clear mechanism for monitoring the targeted use of collected funds, which will be carried out by state control bodies, the Ministry of Justice, tax authorities, the Ministry of Health, as well as local and executive and administrative bodies. Decree of the President regulates the work of foundations and charitable activities in healthcare

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