More than 70% of primary care medical institutions provide mental health services.
This is reported by the Ministry of Health, Ukrinform reports.
Health Minister Viktor Lyashko emphasized that the demand for psychological support is growing around the world.
“In our country, the situation is complicated by the existing stigma in society regarding mental disorders. This often becomes an obstacle to timely seeking help. People are embarrassed to talk about it. The easiest way for anyone, especially a person experiencing a deterioration in their psycho-emotional state, is to contact their family doctor. Therefore, it is very important that now basic psychological support can be obtained from family doctors in 71% of municipal “primary” institutions, – Lyashko said.
He called on citizens “not to ignore the body’s cues.” and contact your family doctor if despair, anxiety, irritation, apathy, sleep disturbance, or obsessive opinions appear.
According to the Ministry of Health, today 878 out of 1,236 municipal primary health care institutions have signed an agreement with the NHSU for the package of services “Support and treatment of adults and children with mental disorders at the primary level of health care.” In addition, Ukrainians can receive free mental health services under this package in 67 private medical institutions (without sole proprietors) and 45 sole proprietors.
Thus, patients can consult a doctor for help regarding their mental health at 990 “primary” medical institutions. for more than 3,350 places of medical care throughout Ukraine.
At the same time, in the Dnepropetrovsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions, more than 91% of municipally owned medical institutions have an agreement for the package “Support and treatment of adults and children with mental disorders at primary level of medical care.”
As noted by the Ministry of Health, primary care doctors and nurses undergo special training under the certified mhGAP program. Already 17 thousand “primary” doctors received certificates for completing the online course “Management of common mental disorders in primary care using the mhGAP guide.” More than 8.9 thousand of them already provide free mental health services to Ukrainians in medical institutions contracted by the NHSU. “https://baltimorechronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/f3be845dc3be46841f122155a9241cf4.jpg” alt=”In Ukraine, more than 70% of “primary” institutions provide mental health services. Support for the development and implementation of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program is provided by Coordination center for mental health of the Cabinet of Ministers with expert partnership and support from WHO.The platform for decision-making is the Interdepartmental Coordination Council of the Cabinet of Ministers.
As reported, in 2023, 320 thousand people benefited from psychological support at the primary level.
Photo in text: Ministry of Health