CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Response in Europe

Ukraine

International Medical Corps is continuing to provide training and counseling services in Ukraine on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), both directly and in coordination with local partners, through remote means that include telephone and online groups. The team has also delivered printed booklets to its different field sites, enabling those without tablets and smartphones—including older people, who are more vulnerable to the virus—to participate. Our program team finalized its needs assessment in the first week of March 2021. During this assessment, we visited 21 locations and asked community residents about their pandemic-related mental health and psychosocial issues. The surveyed people named stress, feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety as common mental health issues. During the assessment, the following topics were identified as issues in local communities: stress management, self-care during the pandemic, psychosocial support for people who have experienced domestic violence and recommendations for primary school teachers and caregivers on applying mindfulness techniques for children. International Medical Corps is working with the Ministry of Health to implement a COVID-related health and WASH program in Donetsk region.