The Ukrainian-Swiss project «Acting for Health» (full name: «Reducing Risk-Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Ukraine») aims to reduce the burden of disease and prevent premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases.
The first phase of the project runs from November 2020 to February 2025. The project is being implemented at the national and regional levels in Lviv, Dnipro, Poltava, Rivne, Kherson regions, and at the level of territorial communities.
In Ukraine, the project is being implemented by GFA Consulting Group GmbH, the University Hospitals of Geneva (UHG), the WHFP CF, and One Health Consulting Agency with the support of the Swiss Confederation through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The key partners of the project are the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Project goals
The project aims to reduce the risk factors for non-communicable diseases, promote general well-being and increase life expectancy of men and women in Ukraine through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach covering the entire human life cycle, among them:
𒊹 building the human and institutional capacity of the MoH, the PHC and regional centers for disease control and prevention in the prevention and control of NCDs,
𒊹 support for proper communication and cooperation in the field of NCD prevention and control,
𒊹 strengthening the legal and regulatory environment for the prevention and control of NCDs,
𒊹 strengthening the professional capacity of primary health care professionals to provide integrated services for the prevention, treatment and management of non-communicable diseases,
𒊹 development and implementation of a model of care that meets the needs of people with chronic diseases or at risk of developing them,
𒊹 strengthening the capacity of schools, public health centers and communities to implement interventions to reduce NCD risks, change behavior, improve knowledge and attitudes towards health,
𒊹 promotion of healthy lifestyles and information campaigns for behavior change among the population.
Results of the project
- a number of studies in the field of non-communicable diseases were conducted
- training courses (including online) were developed and conducted for public health professionals, managers, and primary care specialists; about 2,500 public health professionals and more than 1,000 family doctors and primary care nurses were trained
- national and regional knowledge centers on non-communicable diseases were established, where about 5,000 specialists were trained offline and online
- a number of interventions for schools were implemented: 93 schools in the pilot regions implemented interactive health promotion activities, including interventions on physical activity, healthy eating and mental health; 750 sports events were held for more than 15,000 students
- 21 communities were supported by the project in implementing initiatives aimed at preventing non-communicable disease risk factors and promoting healthy lifestyles
- more than 340 media products (videos, printed materials, press releases, publications, etc.) were created and distributed to target audiences
Materials of the project
The project helped to implement the Healthy School approach for the effective prevention of non-communicable diseases in educational institutions, in line with the main objectives of the National Strategy for Building a Safe and Healthy Educational Environment in the New Ukrainian School.
The following results were achieved in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the education departments of 5 regions, and more than 100 partner educational institutions that provide educational services to more than 40,000 students.
Educational space
In cooperation with the «Playing» architectural and research initiative team, we organized training on the principles of inclusive planning of educational spaces and equipped 10 sports grounds, mini-skate parks and play spaces in 9 communities. In cooperation with Poltava State Agrarian University, we launched the Green School program.
Health and safety education
Over the past four years, more than 2000 educators have gained skills in preventive work and health maintenance at the «Reducing NCD Risk Factors» training and the «Healthy School» training course.
In cooperation with the World of Communities LLC, we created an interactive card game called «Mission Exercise» that helps children learn examples of healthy behavior and a healthy lifestyle through fun tasks, stimulates physical activity, and demonstrates examples of healthy eating. More than 2200 copies of the game were delivered to 600 educational institutions in Ukraine.
In cooperation with the NGO «ZdorovBud!», training was conducted for teachers of 100 partner institutions and methodological materials on “Healthy eating” were created.
15,000 informational posters and videos «Plate of Healthy Food», «Movement is Healthy!», «Healthy Sleep» were distributed in educational institutions in 5 partner regions of the project and at the national level.
Healthy school meals
In support of the school feeding reform initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska and in cooperation with the «Acting for Health» project, support was provided for the development, content, testing and accessibility of the «ZnaJimo» information web platform.
In cooperation with the NGO Culture of Food CultFood, a collection of recipes for meals for children in educational institutions, children’s health and recreation facilities, and social protection institutions was published. The collection consists of 14 chapters and 621 recipes, which include traditional Ukrainian and popular dishes of world cuisine, including those from the school menus of European countries. The collection was handed over to all partner educational institutions and regional departments of education, and is also freely available on the znaimo.gov.ua platform. The collection has an accompanying video course for school chefs and health care workers in educational institutions on how to create a healthy menu.
With the support of the project, a curriculum for school chefs was developed, practical training was organized for 136 chefs from partner educational institutions, and equipment for food service units was purchased and delivered to 74 educational institutions in Lviv, Rivne, Poltava, and Dnipro regions.
Physical education and physical activity
Together with the NGO «UA Active», a program was implemented to promote physical activity in schools, including training and mentoring support for physical education teachers, organizing and conducting sports and recreational activities during the summer holidays, and providing sports equipment to partner educational institutions to implement an updated physical education program and promote non-contact sports.
The «Learning in Motion» approach was developed to help integrate physical activity into the teaching of other subjects; to use inclusive approaches to increase the physical activity of children with special educational needs. All-Ukrainian challenges «Be Active for Peace!», European School Sports Day, «Be Active Day», «Move Week 2024», health festivals, training seminars for physical education teachers, Active Forums for educators in targeted regions were held, reaching and engaging more than 100,000 participants of all ages in physical activity.
93 partner educational institutions were provided with sports equipment to introduce variable modules of new sports games during physical education lessons and for use during extracurricular activities.
Medical service of educational institutions
In cooperation with the Lviv Medical Specialized College of Postgraduate Education, a thematic improvement program for health care workers of general secondary education institutions «Healthy School: Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in Educational Institutions» was prepared, offline training on this program was conducted for more than 600 nurses, and a manual «Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in General Secondary Education Institutions. A Guide for Educators» was published, and 24 teachers were trained to implement the program in the educational activities of 7 medical education institutions. Modern medical rooms were equipped in 16 educational institutions with the support of the project.
Psychological service
More than 300 teachers and psychologists from partner educational institutions received skills in stress management and conducting short dialogues called «Healthy Conversations». Together with the Alliance for Civil Rights NGO, psychologists and social educators from partner general secondary education institutions were trained on the methodology of the Mental Trek interactive exhibition and provided with 48 sets of exhibition stands.
Teacher training and health
A total of 2,688 teachers and nurses from partner educational institutions were trained in first aid. A training center for first aid training was established at the Lviv Regional Institute for Advanced Pedagogical Education, and the Healthy Workplace approach was launched in partner educational institutions.
In June 2024, the final event «Healthy School Camp: Growing in the Rhythm of Health» was held to share ideas and practices for promoting health in educational institutions and changing the behavior of educators to a healthier one, with the participation of 150 educators, representatives of postgraduate education institutes, and regional centers for disease control and prevention.
