Alliance for Public Health
The International Charitable Foundation “Alliance for Public Health” (hereinafter – Alliance) is a leading non-governmental professional organization making a significant impact on the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and other socially dangerous diseases in Ukraine. Cooperation with state partners and civil society organizations provides financial and technical support to programs, covering over 250,000 representatives of the most vulnerable populations: Europe’s highest coverage indicator.
The Alliance for Public Health (Alliance) started operating at the end of 2000 as an international technical assistance project within the Transatlantic HIV Prevention Initiative supported by the US Agency for International Development and the European Union (2000 – 2004).
As an independent legal entity registered in Ukraine since 2003 and upon establishing its own governing bodies in January 2009, the Alliance shares the values and remains a member of the Frontline AIDS global partnership – an international charitable foundation uniting 33 organizations from different countries with its secretariat in Hove (UK).
The Alliance is the official co-implementer of the Strategy on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Viral Hepatitis until 2030, approved by the Resolution of the CMU dd. 27.11.2019 no. 1415-p.
Our Mission is to support community action against HIV/AIDS, to reduce the spread of HIV and related epidemics through disseminating effective services and approaches, strengthening healthcare systems and social services, and building the capacity of vulnerable communities.
Our Vision is of a world in which people do not become infected with HIV and do not die of AIDS and where local communities have brought HIV/AIDS under control.
Improved Quality and Sustainability of Medication Assisted Treatment in Ukraine Project (project`s direction) funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The purpose of this Project is to provide targeted technical assistance to medication-assisted therapy programs in Ukraine and stimulate their development in order to improve the sustainability and quality of programs and long-term health and social outcomes of MAT clients.
Main objectives:
Introduce and implement innovative models and approaches to MAT expansion and development
Contribute to MAT scale-up in PEPFAR priority regions and at the national level
Improve the quality of care and increase MAT effectiveness
Implement Integrated Care Models of service provision to improve access of MAT patients to ART, TB prevention and treatment, and psycho-social support.
During 2016 – 2021, the project has expanded its activities from 5 to 9 regions in 27 facilities and helped increase the number of patients from 2400 to almost 7 000, while the percentage of HIV-positive patients receiving ART reached 97% on average, with 100% at some of the sites. The project will continue its work in 2023.
At the national level, the project actively supported and promoted progressive changes in laws and regulations on MAT and developing modern standards and approaches to treatment, improving legislation on providing care to people with drug dependence and HIV treatment, developing and implementing state Strategy for providing MAT and HIV-related services to ensure adequate contribution to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Such achievements were made possible by a number of activities, including the implementing of mobile MAT clinics; implementing a patient-centered approach; providing incentives to site personnel and patients; supporting an information system for monitoring socially important diseases, popularizing MAT and ART, preventing stigma and discrimination; cooperation with other CDC projects; technical assistance to the sites; training personnel on modern standards and approaches to care; engaging patient organizations in cooperation; advocacy and participation in improving laws and regulations; changes in healthcare reforms, including MAT, etc.
The project has MOH support, CDC, and cooperates with the Public Health Center of MOH of Ukraine, other national and regional stakeholders, as well as patient organizations. Project implementation is also based on effective and long-term cooperation with Hope and Trust Charitable Organization that helps implement advocacy component and measures aimed at protecting the rights of MAT patients, preventing stigma and discrimination, and supports the work of the National Hotline on drug addiction and MAT.
Thanks to the cooperation of the Alliance with partners, it was possible to save and expand the MAT program in war conditions. All Alliance`s projects contribute to ensuring patients’ treatment continuity and are partially reoriented to address high-priority needs (transportation, food, hygiene kits, medicines, etc.).
The project implementation strategy is in line with PEPFAR Regional Operational Plan, Strategy on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Viral Hepatitis until 2030 approved by the Resolution of the CMU dd. 27.11.2019 no. 1415-p and tasks of Fast-Track Cities Initiative.