In 2021, at the beginning of autumn, the Foundation long-term activities were reformatted.

We have opened the direction of ensuring the psychological well-being of the population in a broad sense and paid special attention to the issues of psychological stability of people working in auxiliary professions.

Our colleagues actively worked with local communities to increase their capacity, facilitate citizens’ access to social services, and to find solutions to reduce the pressures of the effects of COVID-19.

It was just in the autumn of 2021 that the Charitable Foundation “Blue Bird” initiated a public debate on overcoming the effects of the pandemic on public health.

To this end, in October we held a round table “Priorities in preventing the deterioration of mental health of the population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The discussion gathered the support of many scientific and expert institutions of Ukraine on this issue. The discussion was joined by: Charitable Organization “Charitable Foundation “Blue Bird”, the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine, State Institution “Institute of Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatric Expertise and Drug Monitoring of the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine”, National University of Health of Ukraine named after P.L. Shupyk, National Medical University named after O.O. Bogomolets, State Institution “Scientific and Practical Medical Rehabilitation and Diagnostic Center of the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine”, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, State Institution “Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Addiction of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, State Institution “Institute of Emergency and Reconstructive Surgery named after V.K. Gusak of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, Public Organization “National Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine”, Public Organization “International Academy of Education and Science”, Public Organization “Association of Neurologists, Psychiatrists and Narcologists of Ukraine”, Public Organization “Association of Psychotherapists and Psychoanalysts of Ukraine”, Public Organization “All-Ukrainian Professional Psychiatric League”.

The discussion resulted in the Round Table Resolution, which can be found on the Foundation website and Facebook page.

In November 2021, the Foundation “Blue Bird” addressed the deputies of Kyiv City Council with a proposal to take the next step in implementing the recommendations of global and national experts in the organization of health care to discuss this issue at the Kyiv city level, involving deputies of Kyiv City Council, Department of Public Health of Kyiv City State Administration and chiefs of municipal medical institutions.

In December, the Foundation together with the Permanent Commission of Kyiv City Council on Health and Social Welfare and Department of Public Health of Kyiv City State Administration held the round table “Priorities in creating and implementing a citywide program of treatment and rehabilitation of health disorders resulting from COVID-19 coronavirus disease and/or from SARS-CoV-2 pandemic stressors”.

We hope that the result of this professional discussion will be a number of programs to promote and support the provision of appropriate assistance to the population at the national and Kyiv city levels.

COVID-19 is still spreading around the world. At the same time, our colleagues worked hard to minimize the impact of numerous lockdowns on beneficiaries and continued to provide free online consultations.

The Foundation management also joined two socially important discussions with the Ukrainian Institute for the Future on human rights during the pandemic and general vaccination: the press conference “Legal aspects of vaccination: are the rights of people who do not want to be vaccinated violated?” and the expert discussion on a systematic and effective approach to the process of mass vaccination of the population of Ukraine – “Soft vaccination: without revolutions and protests”.

In October and November 2021, the Charitable Foundation “Blue Bird” signed the memorandum of cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute for the Future and State Institution “Institute of Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatric Expertise and Drug Monitoring of the Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine”, therefore strengthening the circle of its permanent partners.

The Foundation was also registered with a wide range of WHO partners at the end of the year.

We will continue these important discussions and cooperation next year as we expand our networks and partnerships – follow the news of the Foundation programs.

Leadership in the development of important health care sectors continues to be a real pleasure, and it is exciting and inspiring to see the amazing work that is happening in our networks with the support of our fantastic team. We look forward to further growth of this movement in 2022.