The Ukrainian Red Cross expands its Health Promotion and Disease Prevention programme to eight more regions
The Ukrainian Red Cross is expanding the reach of its Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) programme by involving additional regions in efforts to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent the most common diseases.
Following the successful implementation of the programme in the Kirovohrad, Odesa, and Vinnytsia regions, the initiative has now been adopted by Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Khmelnytskyi, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Ternopil, and Poltava regions. In each of these, teams of trained consultants and volunteers have already been established to carry out awareness-raising activities.
“Our goal is to create conditions that improve people’s quality of life and support them on their path to physical and mental well-being. In the context of rising illness rates, constant stress, and ongoing uncertainty, healthcare is more than a need — it is a vital requirement,” said Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
The HPDP programme includes participants from the age of 10, ensuring that the needs of different age groups are addressed and a broad audience is reached. The programme offers:
- Practical workshops on measuring blood pressure, planning meals, and engaging in physical activity.
- Information sessions on healthy habits, the prevention of non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes), as well as communicable diseases (including tuberculosis, hepatitis, COVID-19, and others).
- Motivational interviews to support individuals in adopting healthier lifestyles, such as quitting smoking, improving their diet, or managing stress more effectively.
- Promotion of blood donation and vaccination.
Last year, over 54,000 people took part in activities under this programme, and the number of participants continues to grow.
The programme is supported by the Norwegian, German, Danish, Canadian, and French Red Cross Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Thanks to these international partnerships, the HPDP team applies leading global practices to help Ukrainians take care of their health every day and in every community.
