The ongoing war in Ukraine has severely impacted the mental health of the population, including their ability to productively participate in the workforce and workplace, and also led to shortages of goods and services that have led to dramatic price increases for pharmaceutical goods, medical devices and equipment. Access to health services has also been severely affected as a result of damaged or destroyed health care infrastructure. However, health policy developments, new services and health financing reforms introduced shortly before the war continue to be rolled out, with important implications for the future of mental health service access, quality and resource allocation.
In this context, this Lancet Psychiatry Commission on mental health in Ukraine was convened to identify the current mental health needs, and to outline a plan for a future, in which Ukrainians receive evidence-based care through a system that values human rights and lived experiences of people with mental illness.
The Commission included five workgroups, each examining specific opportunities for change, development, and modernisation of the Ukrainian mental health-care system, along with requirements for success in clinical services, clinical training, research, forensics and legal advocacy, and finance.
The launch event will commence with opening remarks by Dévora Kestel, WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, and Oksana Zbitnieva, Coordinating Center for Mental Health of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. A presentation of the main elements of the Commission report will be delivered by lead Commissioners, followed by a discussion.
The Commission’s Report is available at The Lancet Psychiatry’s website: https://www.thelancet.com/lanpsy/commissions
Watch the launch here on Wednesday October 9th from 12:00–13:00 CEST / 13.00-14.00 Kyiv time.