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TogliattiProvidence

Samara, Russia/Providence, Rhode Island

2004-2006


Focus:  HIV/AIDS, Drug Addiction and Control, Evidence Based Practice, Health Services Administration, Occupational Health.

The Partners

US Partners: The National Perinatal Information Center (NPIC) in Providence, Rhode Island served as the lead US institution. A consortium of organizations including Care New England Health System, Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Lifespan, and the Rhode Island Department of Health worked closely with NPIC.

Russian Partners: The Samara Oblast Ministry of Health served as the lead institution and the Togliatti City Health Department, oblast and city AIDS Centers, and several other health and social care institutions in Samara Oblast were also involved in the project.

 

Partnership Objectives

The overall goal of the partnership was to create replicable, integrated models of care and treatment for PLWH by establishing systems and processes to address human and organizational capacity building needs related to the provision of high quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment services. 

In keeping with this goal, partners:

Improved the availability of counseling and HIV/AIDS support groups offered through the Togliatti Family Center and the Regional AIDS Center;


Integrated the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in HIV-positive patients at the Togliatti AIDS Center;


Strengthened the capacity of the Togliatti AIDS Center to improve effectiveness of treatment;


Strengthened the coordination of care and services provided to HIV/AIDS patients by the Togliatti AIDS Center; and


Reduced stigma and discrimination on the part of healthcare workers towards PLWH.

 

Key Events and Achievements


HIV/AIDS Treatment, Care, and Support


US partners provided a series of trainings for Togliatti health and social work professionals in adult and pediatric ARV adherence, HIV and TB co-infection, counseling, and stigma reduction. The trainings and
subsequent mentoring sessions contributed to more comprehensive care and treatment of Togliatti HIV/AIDS patients, while at the same time improving the continuum of care.


In March 2006, the efforts of the partnership and collaborating organizations resulted in the release of an order by the city health department, which was designed to improve the prevention, treatment, and care of HIV/AIDS in the city of Togliatti.


During a May 2006 exchange to Togliatti, US and Russian partners jointly developed policy guidelines for social support of families of PLWH for potential adaptation within government policy.


In 2006, the Togliatti Department of Health issued a document titled “Methodological Recommendations on Early TB Detection and prevention among HIV-infected patients.” Recommendations were developed based on input from the partnership and other collaborating organizations.


In July 2006, the Togliatti Department of Social Support awarded two grants to local NGOs to provide support to socially vulnerable groups. This support includes case management and outreach for PLWH. The grants are part of the social support program developed jointly with US partners earlier in May 2006.


A formal agreement was reached between the Togliatti Department of Social Services and the Togliatti AIDS Center to delegate a team of five social workers from the Social Support Center to provide services for AIDS Center patients. This team includes two case managers, two psychologists, and a lawyer.


In 2006, AIHA assisted the Togliatti City Health Department to receive funding from the Russian Health Care Foundation (RHCF) — a principal recipient of the Global Fund in Russia for HIV/AIDS care and
treatment in the city under GFATM’s Round Four program. In September that year, the Country Coordinating Mechanism approved an application from the Togliatti Mayor’s Office, making Togliatti the first municipality other than a regional administration to receive RHCF funding. RHCF approached AIHA to develop a joint project in Togliatti, building on the successful implementation of the HIV/AIDS care and treatment project.


From September 2006 through September 2008, partnership activities were carried out under the auspices of the Volga River AIDS Alliance, a public-private partnership between AIHA and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that supports ARV treatment and care scale up in select sites in Samara and Saratov. The project was supported through USAID's Global Development Alliance.

 

Participating Institutions


Read more about this partnership...

Togliatti Partners Introduce TB Prevention Program for PLWH (PDF)





Updated: March 20, 2009