Among the priority areas of Sumy State University in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is the implementation of mental health programmes.
In the 2025–2026 academic year, the Medical Institute of Sumy State University joined the implementation of the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) at the undergraduate level. The mhGAP is a global WHO programme launched in 2008 to improve access to mental health services by involving non-specialised health workers.
The integration of the mhGAP Programme into the educational process at the Medical Institute of Sumy State University is carried out within the course “Fundamentals of Mental Health: mhGAP,” taught at the Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology with the Course in Medical Biology for students majoring in Medicine, Dentistry, and Physical Rehabilitation.
The department’s faculty — Professor Viktoriia Harbuzova, Associate Professor Olha Obukhova, and PhD student Yelyzaveta Stroi — have completed multilevel training and are certified trainers and supervisors of the mhGAP Programme. They have developed the course syllabus, prepared the teaching and learning materials, and designed engaging assignments to ensure comprehensive mastery of the competencies by the course participants.
During the “Fundamentals of Mental Health: mhGAP” course, students will learn to provide care for individuals with common mental disorders (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal behaviour, and substance use), communicate effectively with patients and their families, assess priority conditions, manage mild and moderate cases when a person does not wish to see a specialist (psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist), and refer to specialists and relevant services (such as social services and rehabilitation centres).
The implementation of the mhGAP Programme in the educational process is an important step towards the systematic integration of international standards in the training of future healthcare professionals.
