Today the program specialists of International Charitable Organization “East Europe and Central Asia Union of People Living with HIV” (ECUO) conducted the first online consultation with experts of the” Access to Drug Supply Regional Monitoring” (Regional Monitoring 2017), carried out by communities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Within the event, Andrei Kosinov, ECUO Program Manager, focused regional experts on the importance of collecting the most recent information and using open data sources for all monitoring tool modules. He also spoke about work coordination and interaction in the data collection process. Special attention was paid to experts’ questions on filling out the descriptive and working plan of the Regional Monitoring 2017. Artem Golobokov, ECUO Advocacy Specialist, described in details the monitoring tool, information gathering areas and the order of filling out all modules.
It should be noted that the experts’ selection for Regional Monitoring 2017 was made on competitive basis (Contest), so all of them have necessary experience and knowledge related to ARVs procurement in each of the participating countries.
Regional monitoring was initiated by ECUO and is carried out since 2016 by request of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as part of” Partnership for the Equitable Access to HIV Care Continuum in EECA” Regional Program. Monitoring results are published publicly on the arv.ecuo.org starting from 2016 and can be used as an effective tool for identifying problematic issues and priorities for access to HIV treatment in EECA.
Regional Monitoring 2017 data will be useful for:
- State structures dealing with drugs procurement for the state budget;
- HIV activists, communities and NGOs advocating access to HIV treatment;
- Donor organizations providing funding for HIV / AIDS;
- International organizations providing technical assistance and conducting advocacy activities aimed at ensuring access to HIV treatment.
To ask clarifying questions, find out the source of information and make suggestions for improving the resource itself contact arv@ecuo.org.