In Ukraine started a new project for communities “Ambassadors of Health”, within the framework of which medical students and interns will cooperate with regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, communities, local authorities and public organizations in order to implement positive changes in the field of health care. The project became one of the first large-scale directions of the Youth Council under the Ministry of Health in the field of public health.
In total, the national initiative will cover 17 regions, where 71 medical ambassadors will work. All of them will undergo specialized training, and later implement educational projects in their communities. The main areas of work are vaccination, mental health, cancer prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The first meeting of the ambassadors was also attended by psychologists, doctors and representatives of organizations working in the field of public health.
During the event, Oleksandr Zaika, head of the immunoprophylaxis department of the Department of Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, addressed the project participants, emphasizing the role of youth in changing the system:
“The path from idea to implementation is something that we can do together. Each person bears the primary responsibility for their health. And we, as a state, are taking steps towards it. For example, from January 1, we are introducing vaccination against the human papilloma virus. Our goal is not just to spread knowledge, but to involve young people in advocating for changes and explanations. After all, you, at your level, with your approaches, will be able to reach the residents of your communities and explain the importance of prevention”.
The “Ambassadors of Health” initiative is implemented by the Youth Council at the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the “Listen to the Doctor” project (GO “Bird of Ukraine”), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Center for Public Health and with the support of the “Coalition for Vaccination” GS.
