From a local initiative to a nationwide standard: The Ministry of Health will consider the proposals of the advocacy project by Maria Tyshchuk

The advocacy campaign “I See. I Know. I Act,” developed by Maria Tyshchuk, moderator of the “CinePuzzle” Docudays UA film club in Zhytomyr, has gained significant traction nationwide. The Department of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has reviewed the project’s proposals to improve the early diagnostics of developmental disabilities in children under 5 and submitted them to experts who will consider them during the revision of healthcare standards.

4 August 2026

Let us remind that Maria Tyshchuk, the head of the advocacy campaign, in cooperation with the Communal Non-Profit Enterprise “Center for Medical Rehabilitation and Palliative Care for Children” of the Zhytomyr Regional Council, has developed informational and educational materials for parents. These materials help recognize “red flags” in the child’s behavior and development, providing a step-by-step algorithm of actions: where to turn for help and what government support is available.

With the support of the Department of Health of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration, proposals for systemic strengthening of primary healthcare were submitted to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

In its official letter, the Department of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine emphasized that the issue of early diagnostics of ASD and delays in psycholinguistic development is one of the priorities of the pediatric service.

The Ministry confirmed that the advocacy project’s proposals will be forwarded to the expert group of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine specializing in “Pediatric and Neonatal Care” and to the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine for consideration during the scheduled revision of healthcare standards.

Maria tells the moderator Nataliya Mosentsova about the implementation of her project

Specifically, the experts will review the following initiatives of the project:

implementation of standard instruments for primary screening (including the M-CHAT and ASQ-3) into the routine practices of primary care physicians;
approval of a unified list of “red flags” in children’s early development;
creation of clear algorithms for patient routing in case of detection of risks of developmental disorders;
systematic distribution of informational materials to raise parents’ awareness.

These changes are planned for implementation during the next revision of the clinical protocol “Integrated Management of Childhood Diseases” (IMCD).

Moreover, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has expressed its official gratitude to the team of the “I See. I Know. I Act” project, the “CinePuzzle” film club, and the NGO Docudays for their active civic engagement and practical contributions to the development of pediatric care.

The letter from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine confirms that the voices of local human rights initiatives are heard on the highest levels of state government.

The story of Maria Tyshchuk’s advocacy project demonstrates that by using documentary films, conducting in-depth analysis of the issues, and collaborating with the community, it is possible to initiate systemic changes that improve the quality of life for thousands of Ukrainian families.

The project is implemented with the support of the DOCU/CLUB Network, funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, Fondation de France, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States of America.

The opinions, conclusions or recommendations are those of the authors and compilers of this publication and do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The authors and compilers are solely responsible for the content of this publication.

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