War “live” will have critical consequences for the psychological health of Ukrainians 

Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health, made this statement in the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

“Today we can see a new factor of psychological condition and we will have to work with it for decades after the war. Extensive informatization contributes to this factor. We watch the war almost live,” he said. 

The Health Minister added that it is “openness” of the war that will have critical consequences for mental health. 

“That is why I want to appeal to everyone: mental health disorders should not be ashamed. A certain stigma has been forming for us since soviet times. But psychological support is normal. Visiting a psychologist should be a priority. People need to contact a person who will expertly tell what should be done,” Minister of Health encouraged. 

The Minister of Health noted that the First Lady involved a large number of experts and specialists into the National Program of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to work on this issue and help Ukrainians. 

“As of now, 650,000 people have received appropriate assistance. There are also a large number of psychologists beyond the healthcare system who provide assistance. The main thing is for people to apply for it,” Viktor Liashko said. 

According to Viktor Liashko, 600 family physicians have currently completed WHO courses on the psychological assistance system. Over the next year, another 3,000 will receive such training, and by the end of 2024 — 10,000 specialists. This does not mean that every family physician should complete such courses, but every institution must have such specialists.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news