On 22 September 2016 in the auditorium of “Sociotherapy” held a regular meeting of the Vinnytsia Regional council of communities (RCC) vulnerable to HIV. The main issue of the event was funding of OST programs in next 2017.
The chief doctor of Regional Narcological clinic Pavlo Slobodyanyuk introduced the participants with an open letter of NGO “Hope and Trust”, ACF “Drop in center”, ICF “Vertical” to the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Mark Dybul, to the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Chairman of the National Council on TB and HIV/AIDS Pavlo Rozenko, regarding failure by the government recommendations the Global Fund about inclusion to the National Council on TB and HIV / AIDS representatives of vulnerable groups and commitments to budget financing of substitution maintenance therapy.
The participants unanimously supported the basic requirements of the letter and asked the Global Fund and the state represented by Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine to ensure the involvement the representatives of vulnerable groups to the Country Coordination Mechanism of and provide funding of OST programs for the budget funds.
In the words of Chief physician of Narcological clinic, patients are most worried how they will be provided by drugs after that as the Global Fund will cease to fund harm reduction programs in Ukraine. Although in the regional budget already provides funds for harm reduction programs, all needs they are not cover. “We hope that the Government will not leave this special category of citizens to their fate, and some funds will be allocated to the procurement of substitute drugs” – he concludes.
For reference:
The work on strengthening and capacity building of vulnerable communities implemented by NGO «Gay-alliance» by direction «Social mobilization, strengthening of ties, cooperation and coordination» among vulnerable groups IDUs/OST, sex workers, MSM and former prisoners in 5 regions of Ukraine (Odessa, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad), and funded by the ACO “All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH” and the ICF “Alliance for Public health”.
The Regional Council of communities (RCC) – a consultative and advisory body that includes leaders and activists of the most vulnerable to HIV groups, which aims to significantly strengthen the capacity of communities through joint advocacy actions, including to increase access to medical and social services to vulnerable communities in the region.
