Renovation to expand opportunities for medical and psychological rehabilitation of the region's residents is the goal of the Kyiv Regional Council's municipal non-profit enterprise Kyiv Regional Center for Mental Health (KRCMH, Vorzel).

On March 17, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the acting director of the Mental Health Center, Tetiana Ponomarenko, and the chief coordinator of Ukraine`s Renovation League ONOVA, chairman of the board of the Public Union “Ukrainian Fund of Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving”, Yehor Stefanovych.

Like most settlements of the Bucha territorial community, Vorzel survived the occupation of Russian troops in March 2022. The Kyiv Regional Mental Health Center was also affected: the occupiers damaged the premises of the departments, smashed furniture, and took away some important equipment for research. 

The Kyiv Regional Center for Mental Health is the largest such institution in Ukraine with a unique experienced team that continues to develop despite the difficult conditions. It consists of 7 psychiatric and specialized departments with a bed capacity of 310 patients.

"Thanks to the help of the regional and local authorities, volunteers, and donor organizations, we resumed the Center's work in May last year. We have not yet managed to get rid of all the consequences of the occupation. However, we are working and have ambitious plans to become a regional center for mental, psychological and physical rehabilitation of combatants and their families, adults and children who have survived the occupation, shelling and losses. I am confident that by working together with the ONOVA League, we will achieve our goal faster and better," said Tetiana Ponomarenko.

"The rehabilitation of medical facilities is an important area of work to revitalize Kyiv region. Visitors, patients, doctors and staff of the Center need comfortable conditions for recovery and work. In addition to equipment and furniture, the buildings of the Kyiv City Center of Medical and Pediatric Rehabilitation, where the departments are located, also need to be updated. In particular, thermal modernization, which will significantly reduce heating costs. The first steps are to draw up a plan of priority needs, estimate the costs of reconstruction and work with potential donors," emphasized President of Public Union “Ukrainian Fund of Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving” Anar Rafiyev.

The reconstruction of the center is already underway

According to Yehor Stefanovych, Chairman of the Board of the UFEES, a network of such centers should appear in all regions of the country. "Today, tens of thousands of Ukrainians are already in need of qualified psychological assistance," Mr. Stefanovych said.