A resilient nation begins with an ordinary person. Therefore, the mission of the Government is to create conditions for development, for the realisation of all potential talents and opportunities. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Mental Health held on 28 November with the participation of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

"By investing in people, we invest in a strong Ukraine. In a country that is defeating and successfully recovering. Reconstruction and further development require huge human resources. Therefore, the cross-cutting areas of the Government's work are the return of Ukrainians from abroad, the integration of former military personnel and veterans into civilian life, and the adaptation of the population in the de-occupied territories. And most importantly, it is about strengthening the mental health of Ukrainians," said Denys Shmyhal.

"Next year should be a year of maximum coverage of regions. We want psychological services to reach every Ukrainian, no matter how far they live from big cities," said First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

According to the Prime Minister, the Coordination Centre for Mental Health has conducted a preliminary audit of existing services and the professional capacity of providers in the regions. It has determined 1102 territorial communities with mental health services or potential providers.

"For instance, in the field of education, 87% of Ukrainian communities have this opportunity. But in the area of social protection, the coverage rate is only 27%. Following an audit of the quantity, an audit of the quality of these services should be conducted. It is necessary to understand what is missing to make mental health protection relevant and effective," said Denys Shmyhal.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the focus of the Government and ministries would be to include the mental health context in all policies where people interact with the state.