CSIH Projects

Country/Region:

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Serbia

Project Title:

Balkans Primary Health Care Policy Project (PHCPP)

Partners:

Canadian International Development Agency, Queen's University

Contact:

Orvill Adams, orvill@orvilladams.com and Eva Slawecki, eslawecki@csih.org

Key Objectives:

 The overall long-term goal of the Primary Health Care Policy Project (PHCPP) for both BiH and Serbia is to:

"Contribute to the achievement of responsive and accountable primary health care (PHC) systems in BiH and Serbia that improves their citizens' health outcomes creating an enabling environment for social, economic and political development."

PHC is the cornerstone of reform in these countries; however, each country has chosen different models. In Serbia PHC is based on the chosen doctor and his/her team. In BiH, PHC is based on the concept of family medicine. The systems are faced with a number of constraints, including the lack of guiding policies, low salaries, few opportunities for professional development and little respect for primary health care and its providers. 

Throughout the PHCPP five cross cutting themes are addressed with respect to each of the activities. The themes are: vulnerable groups; public sector competence; private sector; and EU accession and gender equality. Each of these themes poses challenges for PHC development in the two countries. The CSIH/QU team will ensure that they are adequately addressed throughout the project. 

The PHCPP will also include regional activities which will focus on partnership and coordination, knowledge translation and communication for improved PHC. CSIH/QU will work with CIDA and other stakeholders in each country to establish mechanisms for coordination with other donors, bilateral and multilateral. During the design phase of the Project the Ministry of Health stakeholders in each country expressed concern about their capacity to be meaningfully involved in the many donor projects. They were also concerned that attention be paid to duplication across projects and the efficient use of resources. Coordination and cooperation between projects is a critical element in the success of the project. The Project will encourage continuous improvement based on the sharing of information and the use of results and lessons learned throughout the PHCPP.

Country/Region:

 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Serbia

Project Title:

 Balkans Youth and Health Project (BYHP)

Partners:

 Canadian International Development Agency and World University   Service of Canada (WUSC)

Contact:

 Naim Ismail, nismail@csih.org

Key Objectives:

 The goal of the project is to:

"Contribute to the achievement of responsive and accountable youth-friendly primary health care systems that promote increased access to youth primary health services and help improve the health status of citizens."

Summary:

One of the consequences of the transition in the Balkans has been a further weakening of youth services in the health sector. It is important for young people to have easy access to primary health care services that respond to their needs. These services address long-term health consequences and unhealthy behaviors established during adolescence. Youth in the Balkans are affected by a high incidence of adverse health and social issues such as:

• Mental health problems (including increasing rates of depression and suicide),

• HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health problems, including low rates of condom use, high abortion rates, and increasing rates of STI,

• Substance use and abuse (including tobacco, alcohol and drugs),

• Violence, neglect and trafficking.

Over the next three years, the BYHP will work closely with the ministries of health, public health institutions, youth NGOs, and other youth leaders in the region to implement a health systems approach that will prioritize extremely vulnerable youth in the area. The purpose of the project is to contribute to the improvement of policy makers, youth organizations and health care providers capacity to develop and implement effective and efficient gender-sensitive youth-friendly policies, programs, and services, thereby increasing access to primary health care by youth.  This capacity will be improved through the achievement of the following three expected outcomes of the project:

• Strengthened health policy development and implementation for youth health, coordination and harmonization among civil society, stakeholders, government agencies and donors;

• Improved gender-sensitive, youth-friendly primary care health policies, programs, and services; and,

• Increased access to primary health care services by youth, vulnerable groups, especially vulnerable groups and young women. 

The project targets youth between the ages of 10 and 26.  Vulnerable youth groups include drug users, returnees, the very poor, and marginalized ethnic minorities like the Roma. Especially vulnerable youth groups include young offenders, commercial sex workers, men having sex with men and substance abusers.

CSIH and WUSC will work closely with local stakeholders to contribute to the achievement of the outcomes by assisting in the preparation of a National Youth Health Action Plan in BiH; contributing to the draft National Strategy for Youth Development and Health in Serbia; supporting the design and implementation of youth friendly health services at local action sites; and advising in the reform of youth-friendly primary health care policies and programs across the region.  

The Balkans Youth and Health Project is a three-year project funded by the government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).