Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Ukraine

Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) needs and resources in Mykolaiv following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam: WHO rapid assessment

Attachments

OVERVIEW

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam on 6 June 2023 caused catastrophic flooding along the banks of the river Dnipro.

Consequently, the city of Mykolaiv has become a refuge for the highest concentration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing the affected region. With a population of 470 000 (as of 24 February 2022), Mykolaiv is the ninth largest city in Ukraine and is just 60 km away from Kherson.

WHO conducted a mission to Mykolaiv to assess the mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) needs of IDPs there and the available resources. In addition to the assessment, the mission provided technical assistance to health care facilities and NGOs offering MHPSS services in the region and supported coordination between them.

During the mission, the WHO team visited an IDP centre, three primary health care centres, a Ukrainian Red Cross Society hospital and a regional psychiatric hospital, and met with representatives of seven humanitarian organizations.

The assessment utilized tool number 4, 5 and 12 from the WHO-UNHCR Toolkit for Humanitarian Settings.