Yulia Svyrydenko: Support for the mental health of Ukrainians must be comprehensive and accessible

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, alongside First Lady Olena Zelenska, Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko, and Minister for Veterans Affairs Nataliia Kalmykova, attended an extended meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Mental Health Protection.

Government officials and the First Lady inspected mental health support infrastructure in Kyiv region. They observed efforts to support various groups, including a psycho-emotional relief space for schoolchildren at Bilohorodka Lyceum No. 1, psychological counselling services for veterans at the Veteran Space Irpin centre, and psychosocial services at the primary healthcare level at the Bucha Primary Healthcare Centre.

“We’re already seeing significant progress in mental health services, an area that until recently received insufficient attention. I thank Olena Zelenska for launching the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme ‘How Are You?’ and her systematic work on these projects,” said Yulia Svyrydenko.

She stressed that these services must operate cohesively and be scaled up: “I’m grateful to the members of the Interagency Coordination Council on Mental Health Protection, which is already addressing these issues.”

The Prime Minister added that the next meeting of the coordination council will focus on mental health in the security and defence sector – among military personnel, veterans, and those released from captivity.

“Our task is to support our people, so that asking ‘how are you?’ becomes the norm, and so that access to mental health support services is straightforward and clear,” concluded the Prime Minister.