Politics and the Myths Around COVID-19 Pandemic Affecting the Right to Health

A big number of people in Uganda are disregarding the Ministry of Health’s guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures simply because these people don’t feel that there is a real threat hence regarding COVID-19 pandemic as a scum and this is supported by most of their political leaders who have decided to preach drinking of water while themselves opting for wine. This is evident through the dishonesty of the government officials and who have visibly used the pandemic to steal and embezzle funds from the government coffers depicted through the continuous inflation of price of essential equipment like; face masks and the distribution of radios and TVs plus food that has either not reached the people or never been given at all

 By Bukenya Denis Joseph

Coordinator, HURIC  denisbukenya@gmail.com 

Zziwa Joshua

Health rights Activist, PHM-Ug/HURIC  zziwajoshua73@gmail.com @joshuaZziwa

Politics and the Myths Around COVID-19 Pandemic Affecting the Right to Health

 

Uganda is in a state of uncertainty in terms of health security due to the skyrocketing COVID-19 global pandemic cases being reported. The levels of infections and the associated deaths are continuously raising putting the numbers, on 19 September 2020, at 5,266 confirmed cases and 60 deaths, (Health, 2020). According to Worldometer,  in the same day Uganda has 5,380 confirmed cases, 2,489 recovered cases, and 60 deaths, (Worldometer, 2020). Amidst the raising numbers of infections and deaths, there is still a wide spread of misconceptions and myths about COVID-19 pandemic among the masses in the country. These rotate around the non-existence of the pandemic and unfortunately these misconceptions have been stirred by political activities where masses of people have physically engaged themselves in political activities like: political rallies and elections.  Above all most of these people are disregarding the Ministry of Health’s guidance and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

On 3rd April 2020 in his opening remarks at the media briefing on Covid-19, Dr. Tedros Adhanom, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, highlighted the need for countries and partners to strengthen the health systems foundations through providing health facilities with reliable supply of funding for medical supplies, meeting health workers requirements like salaries, and personal protective equipment. He also called upon countries to remove financial barriers to health care as it creates delay and people forego care because they can’t afford it making the pandemic harder to control hence putting society at risk, (Organisation, 2020)

As several countries are suspending user fees and providing free testing and care for COVID-19, regardless of a person’s insurance, citizenship, or residence status, in Uganda the ministry of health is putting in place COVID-19 testing fees for cross boarder truck drivers and individuals volunteering to test. In simple terms this means that free testing is left only for admitted patients or already infected persons and their contacts. With great appreciation to this country’s financial challenges, where is the purpose of doing a COVID-19 test if one is already admitted for the same cause? I think this is going to exclude all people who are COVID-19 asymptomatic and also lack the capacity to pay for the tests where by a considerable number of Ugandans belong to this cluster.

In an effort to actualize health as a fundamental human right and put the Health for All agenda (set by the Alma Ata declaration in 1978) in WHO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) there should be equity to health access, quality health service, and protection against financial risk all pointing to the Universal Health Care (UHC), (Organisation, 2020). It is every one’s responsibility to pay attention and fight COVID-19 pandemic by following the health guidelines. However, the state owes all the citizens a responsibility of due care by its self-abiding by the set health guidelines and also being fair and considering all citizens despite of their statuses. If political leaders and policy makers in this country continue doing contrary to their teachings, then they shouldn’t expect the population to have confidence in the set national guidance and laws.

 

Bibliography

Health, U. M. (2020, September 19). Ministry of Health. Retrieved from Ministry of Health: https://www.health.go.ug/covid/

Oganisation, W. H. (2020, September 19). Health systems. Retrieved from World Health Oganisation: https://www.who.int/healthsystems/universal_health_coverage/en/

Organisation, W. H. (2020, September 19). Director General. Retrieved from World Health Organisation: https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19–3-april-2020

Worldometer. (2020, September 19). Coronavirus. Retrieved from Worldometer: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries/

 

 

 

 

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Health Service Delivery Systems in Uganda

Health services in Uganda are at risk in the COVID-19 outbreak through various mechanisms. Clinicians and direct care givers of COVID-19 patients have a disproportionately higher mortality than the general age-adjusted population. Closure of logistics-related workplaces and transport services interrupts supply lines. Travel bans and reduction in public transportation limit access, and public perceptions of increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection near health facilities dissuade attendance, whereas clinic activities considered “non-urgent,” such as antenatal care, may be postponed. Uganda has a relatively fragile health system with limited capacity to expand critical care services

By Zziwa Joshua

Health rights Activist, PHM-Ug/HURIC  zziwajoshua73@gmail.com

 Bukenya Denis Joseph

Coordinator, HURIC  denisbukenya@gmail.com

 The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Health Service Delivery Systems in Uganda

 

Uganda has an organized national health system and health delivery in place within the strategic frame work and focus (Nakisozi, 2014). The Health Service Delivery System in Uganda is decentralized within national, districts and health sub districts. The national health system is comprised of both private and public sectors. The private health sector is comprised of Private Not for Profit (PNFP), Private Health Practitioners (PHPs), and Traditional Contemporary Medicine Practitioners (TCMPs). These private sectors contribute to about 50% of the health care delivery. The public sectors include Government Health facilities; Health services departments of different Ministries. Several Ministry of Health (MOH) functions have been delegated to National Autonomous Institutions like National Drag Authority (NDA).

However, the Ugandan Health System’s Service Delivery has been negatively impacted so far by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is redirecting focus and prioritization of health systems globally. Public health responses have been dominated by enforced social distancing and stay-at-home interventions, characterized as “lockdowns,” advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Health services are at risk in the COVID-19 outbreak through various mechanisms. Clinicians and direct care givers of COVID-19 patients have a disproportionately higher mortality than the general age-adjusted population. Closure of logistics-related workplaces and transport services interrupts supply lines. Travel bans and reduction in public transportation limit access, and public perceptions of increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection near health facilities dissuade attendance, whereas clinic activities considered “non-urgent,” such as antenatal care, may be postponed. Uganda has a relatively fragile health system with limited capacity to expand critical care services.

There have been reported cases of clinicians discriminating against patients with liked symptoms to COVID-19 for fear of the likelihood of being quarantined for the 14 mandatory days through contact tracing or may be the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. This has been reported about in one of the daily newspapers in Uganda where a one Ms. Natalie Asiimwe and her 72-year-old father Ambrose who has a pneumonia health record were turned away by two private hospitals in Kampala on basis that the patient had to first present COVID-19 results (Draku, 2020). This has further set a very dangerous trend in the already weakened health systems in Uganda and service delivery owing to the situation that the MOH in Uganda has designated treatment centers and has put in place strict adherence rules to all private hospitals not to treat patients with COVID-19 likely symptoms.

It is currently trait law that all patients with symptoms similar to COVID-19 in Uganda to get treatment from their nearby health facilities that are not designated as COVID-19 Centers need to present a COVID-19 certificate from the MOH in Uganda. I concur with the spirit in which this standing order was issued but make the argument that this will deter and dissuade many Ugandan from accessing care from the nearby facilities. Catastrophically a coincidence, the MOH in Uganda was overwhelmed by the expenditure on the mass tests for COVID-19 and have levied fees on voluntary testing and the track drivers entering Uganda which are exorbitant for the lay person. This has indeed negatively impacted the health systems delivery and access. One would rightly state that the directive to the private health systems not to treat people with like symptoms to COVID-19 was a ploy for them to make money from the vulnerable and unsuspecting public.

As the health experts are working on the COVID-19 the rest of the health challenges have not gone away; so, it would be prudent that we put in place long permanent health programs that focus on helping our people even in the future.  The MOH in conjunction with the immediate stake holders, like Legislature and the Civil Society community, owe the public a responsibility to see to it that health policies are put in place, funded and strictly monitored. This will eventually put to an end the mix-up of infection cases and the people with various health complications will no longer be stigmatized but rather given the due care more especially during in these challenging times of the pandemic.In addition medical personnel, testing equipment and personal protective equipment (PPEs) should be availed to some of the major health facilities both private and public country wide as a means of simplifying health service delivery and curbing the further spread of Corona Virus.

 

Bibliography

Charles Patrick Davis, M. P. (2020, March 20). Diseases and Conditions. Retrieved from On Health: https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/respiratory_infections_causes

Draku F. (2020, September 15). New/National. Retrieved from Daily Monitor: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/private-hospitals-turn-away-pneumonic-patients-2014894

Nakisozi, L. (2014). National Health Care Systems in Uganda. Kampala: Global Health Corps,2020.

Bell D., Schultz K.H., Kiragga A.N. et al. Predicting the Impact of COVID-19 and the Potential Impact of the Public Health Response on Disease Burden in Uganda. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 103, Issue 3, 2 Sep 2020 http://www.ajtmh.org/docserver/fulltext/14761645/103/3/tpmd200546.pdf?expires=1601371842&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=B0C6963A606AAE8AFBA7D8BF36E74702

World Health Organisation (2002),  https://www.who.int/health-topics/chronic-respiratory-diseases#tab=tab_2  [Accessed September 21, 2020 at 9:19 am]

World Health Organisation (2002) report on analysis of estimates of the environmental attributable fraction, by disease    https://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/preventingdisease5.pdf [Accessed September 19, 2020 at 3:40 pm]

 

 

 

 

PEAH News Flash 399

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PEAH News Flash 398

News Flash Links, as part of the research project PEAH (Policies for Equitable Access to Health), aim to focus on the latest challenges by trade and governments rules to equitable access to health in resource-limited settings

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Africa’s Innovative COVID-19 Response: The Africa Medical Supplies Platform

The Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) is a non-profit continental online procurement platform designed to resolve Africa’s COVID-19 medical supply predicament. Besides strengthening Africa’s supply management system and bolstering local production of pharmaceuticals the main objective of the platform is to provide equitable access to medicines and medical supplies for all participating countries. The platform pools certified medical suppliers and aggregates demand, thereby creating a larger market that saves time, enables competitive pricing, and ensures the security of the supplies. Sourced and donated medical supplies are distributed proportionately by taking into account the population, disease burden, and vulnerability level of Member States. After quotas are designated, Member States are required to make payment into a holding account at Africa’s Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) within a stipulated number of days and then the supplies are delivered by designated commercial carriers

 By Chiamaka P. Ojiako

Policy Analyst, Lawyer 

New York University

Africa’s Innovative COVID-19 Response

The Africa Medical Supplies Platform

 

Globally, access to medicines and medical supplies is largely driven by demand and the ability to pay rather than need. Notwithstanding numerous factors that impede access to medicines and medical supplies, this paper will focus on the recent innovations in supply chain management in Africa. These developments are particularly significant as over 70% of all pharmaceuticals consumed in Africa are imported, and less than 2% are manufactured locally.[1]

The heavy reliance on imported pharmaceuticals further strains limited health financing and exposes vulnerable populations to greater inequalities in accessing effective and affordable medicines.[2]

In 2012, the Heads of State at the African Union Summit endorsed the African Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan to foster local production of quality and affordable pharmaceuticals.[3] However, demand-side barriers caused by buyer fragmentation, different markets, and the small economic size of several African countries raised feasibility and sustainability concerns.[4] These are valid concerns because a small country’s significant need for medicines might not translate to sufficient demand leading to higher cost and lower availability.[5] Addressing these restraints became more imaginable with the ratification of the Africa Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), which seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services.[6] The projections of improved harmonization and continental access have opened up possibilities for developing unified continental regulatory standards for the pharmaceutical industry. These uniform standards, if achieved across the continent, would facilitate pooled procurement and local drug production.

Leveraging on the AfCTA, the Small Island Developing States (SID), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) advocated for the development of the AfCTA-Anchored Pharmaceutical Project with a three-fold approach of pooled procurement, local production, and improved drug quality.[7] This pilot initiative focused on improving access to maternal and child health care (MCH) products in select countries from Regional Economic Communities (RECS) with existing pooled procurement projects.[8]  The experiences, practices, policies, and lessons learned from implementing successful regional pooled procurement initiatives, like the Southern African Regional Program on Access to Medicines (SARPAM), served as a precursor to Africa’s innovative response to the disrupted global drug supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

In recognition of the vulnerability of the African region to COVID-19 and its adverse effects, the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC) adopted a containment and mitigation response strategy.[10] While swift containment measures were successfully put in place, mitigating the spread across African countries was difficult mainly due to limited testing capacity and scarce medical supplies.[11] Pharmaceutical companies responded to the disrupted global supply chain with unpredictable price changes and prioritization of the highest bidders. Consequently, several African countries lacked COVID-19 medical supplies and became more vulnerable to substandard pharmaceutical products in circulation.[12] The disparity in accessing essential medical supplies in Africa provided the necessary impetus for creating the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), which is an expanded version of the regional pooled procurement arrangement proposed by the AfCTFA-anchored pharmaceutical project.

The AMSP is a non-profit continental online procurement platform designed under the leadership of Strive Musiyiwa, African Union Special Envoy, to resolve Africa’s COVID-19 medical supply predicament. Besides strengthening Africa’s supply management system and bolstering local production of pharmaceuticals the main objective of the platform is to provide equitable access to medicines and medical supplies for all participating countries. Following the launch of the platform, the Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have also joined the platform to benefit from the competitive procurement of medical supplies.[13]

The platform pools certified medical suppliers and aggregates demand, thereby creating a larger market that saves time, enables competitive pricing, and ensures the security of the supplies. Sourced and donated medical supplies are distributed proportionately by taking into account the population, disease burden, and vulnerability level of Member States. After quotas are designated, Member States are required to make payment into a holding account at Africa’s Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) within a stipulated number of days and then the supplies are delivered by designated commercial carriers. Predesignated quotas are exchangeable for needed medical supplies on the platform and the Ministry of Health officials can request the procurement of unavailable medical supplies.[14]

Provision is equally made for countries that have insufficient funds to pay by extending a line of credit to them with the Afreximbank. This funding is sourced from the $3 million Pandemic Trade Impact Mitigation Facility set up by Afreximbank to support African countries’ COVID-19 response effort of which $200 million is designated for financing the production of medical supplies and equipment.[15]

The world’s first continental digital procurement platform has gone beyond improving procurement to boosting indigenous pharmaceutical production with plans in place for establishing an open license for enlisting local manufacturers. Furthermore, African manufacturers are prioritized on the platform by featuring made in Africa options on the first page. These incentives are expected to motivate the diversification of operations by both small and large African companies to address the demand and supply mismatch for protective equipment and COVID-19 supplies in Africa.[16]

The realization of the AMSP during unprecedented times is a testament that the solutions for African problems lie within Africa. This precarious moment, when Africa’s leadership is displaying political commitment to health, should be leveraged upon to increase the capacity of local drug manufacturing in Africa. Therefore, more African countries need to sign and ratify the treaty for establishing the African Medicines Agency (AMA) to ensure that the governance and regulation of medicines in Africa are strengthened and harmonized.

 

References

[1] Supporting the production of pharmaceuticals in Africa. (2015, December 23). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/1/15-163782/en/

[2]Report of the High-Level Stakeholder Meeting on: The AfCTA: Opportunities for pooled procurement of essential drugs and products and local pharmaceutical production for the continent.( 2019, November 21).  Retrieved July 22, 2020 from  https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-documents/AfCFTA-Pharma 2019/pharma_high_level_meeting_report_final.pdf

[3]Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan For Africa: AUDA-NEPAD. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from https://nepad.org/publication/pharmaceutical-manufacturing-plan-africa

[4]O’Donnell, O. (2007, December 01). Access to health care in developing countries: Breaking down demand side barriers. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://www.scielosp.org/article/csp/2007.v23n12/2820-2834/

[5]Improving access to essential medicines for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: Workshop summary. Forum on neuroscience and nervous system disorders. (2014, August 26). Retrieved August 25, 2020 from https://www.worldcat.org/title/improving-access-to-essential-medicines-for-mental-neurological-and-substance-use-disorders-in-sub-saharan-africa-workshop-summary-forum-on-neuroscience-and-nervous-system-disorders/oclc/899280083

[6]African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Legal Texts and Policy Documents. Retrieved August 15, 2020, from https://www.tralac.org/resources/our-resources/6730-continental-free-trade-area-cfta.html

[7]Report of the High-Level Stakeholder Meeting on :The AfCTA: Opportunities for pooled procurement of essential drugs and products and local pharmaceutical production for the continent. (2019, November 21). Retrieved August 20, 2020 from  https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-documents/AfCFTA-Pharma-2019/pharma_high_level_meeting_report_final.pdf

[8] Third Africa Business Forum 2020 on Africa Continental Free Trade Area: An opportunity to accelerate towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 through pooled procurement of the essential safe and quality drugs and products and local pharmaceutical production for the continent. Retrieved July 28, 2020 from https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-documents/Africa-Business-Forum/3rd/technical_background_paper_-_health-the_pharma_issue_-_en_-_e2000083.pdf

[9] SADC Pooled Procurement of Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies Situational Analysis and Feasibility Study  Retrieved August 21,2020 from https://www.sadc.int/files/6614/1890/8516/sadc___sadc_pooled_procurement_of_essential_medicines_and_medical_suppli….pdf

[10]Strategic Response Plan in the WHO African Region. Retrieved September 1, 2020 from  https://www.afro.who.int/sites/default/files/2020-06/SPRP%20BUDGET%200520_01.pdf

[11]Kavanagh, M. M., Erondu, N. A., Tomori, O., Dzau, V. J., Okiro, E. A., Maleche, A., Aniebo, I. C., Rugege, U., Holmes, C. B., & Gostin, L. O. (2020). Access to lifesaving medical resources for African countries: COVID-19 testing and response, ethics, and politics. The Lancet395(10238), 1735-1738. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31093-X

[12]Jane Bradley, T. (2020, April 19). In scramble for coronavirus supplies, rich countries push poor aside. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://bdnews24.com/world/2020/04/10/in-scramble-for-coronavirus-supplies-rich-countries-push-poor-aside

[13] Statement by the Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados on Access by CARICOM to the Africa Medical Supplies Platform. (2020, July 01). Retrieved August 23, 2020, from https://caricom.org/statement-by-the-chairman-of-the-caribbean-community-caricom-the-honourable-mia-amor-mottley-prime-minister-of-barbados-on-access-by-caricom-to-the-africa-medical-supplies-platform/

[14]Interview with AU Special Envoy Strive Masiyiwa on the Launch of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform, Milken Institute. (2020, June 18). Retrieved August 15, 2020, from https://covid19africawatch.org/strive-masiyiwa-africa-medical-supplies-platform/

[15]Afreximbank Announces $3-Million COVID-19 Response Grant for African Countries. (2020, July 17). Retrieved August 20, 2020, from https://www.afreximbank.com/afreximbank-announces-3-million-covid-19-response-grant-for-african-countries/

[16] President Cyril Ramaphosa: Launch of Africa Medical Supplies Platform media briefing. (2020, June 18). Retrieved September 1, 2020, from https://www.gov.za/speeches/medical-supplies-platform-19-jun-2020-0000

Barriers For Migrants

PEAH is pleased to republish an article by AFEW partner organization. AFEW is dedicated to improving the health of key populations in society. With a focus on Eastern Europe and Central Asia, AFEW strives to promote health and increase access to prevention, treatment and care for major public health concerns such as HIV, TB, viral hepatitis, and sexual and reproductive health

First published August 25, 2020 

By Chamid Sulchan

AFEW International intern

Barriers For Migrants

 

The main reason why labour migrants from Tajikistan, Moldova, Belarus and Uzbekistan come to Russia is that there is no work for them in their home countries. Often labour migrants have big families; parents, brothers, sisters, wives and children, and they have to take care of them. Working in Russia is often the only way for them to help their families to survive.

Margarita Abramyan, manager at KOVCHEG Anti-AIDS in Rostov-on-Don, a partner of AFEW International in Russia, has been implementing a project called ”HIV and migrant workers in southern districts” in the framework of the regional approach of the “Bridging the Gaps: health and right for key populations” program. She told us what influences migrants’ access to health services in Russia and how to improve this difficult situation.

How would you describe the access to health services for labour migrants in Russia?

So it really depends on whether you are in Russia legally or illegally. If a migrant comes to Russia legally, he/she receives a residence and work permit with medical insurance. If the migrant is in Russia illegally, this person can stay here up to 90 days. They don´t need to undertake all the documentation procedures and therefore don´t have a medical insurance. To get a legal residence permit or a medical card in Russia, you need to be tested for HIV, viral hepatitis and TB. But the thing is that you have to pay for all these tests yourself, and many migrants cannot afford this.

Under the migrant medical policy, emergency ambulance assistance and emergency operations are free. If you need an operation that is not absolutely necessary, then you need to pay for this operation yourself.

What are the consequences if labour migrants do not have access to health services?

There are a lot of consequences of the lack of access to health services for labour migrants in Russia. Migrants who come to Russia often work at construction sites, the kind of jobs that are really dangerous and where it´s common to have serious accidents. When a migrant has a serious accident at a construction site and they do not have access to healthcare, they can become an invalid for life.

The big problem is that migrants are actually afraid to get medical help, because medical workers ask for their documents and check if their papers are valid. If medical workers find out that migrants are illegal, then basically they can be thrown out of the country. Another big problem is that HIV positive migrants who come to Russia cannot get Russian citizenship. However, many of those HIV positive migrants come to Russia anyway. They stay in the country illegally and do not have access to healthcare. They often don´t know the condition of their health and cannot get any ART.

What these migrants sometimes do is that they connect or communicate with the non-profit-organizations from Ukraine or Uzbekistan, with countries that have borders with Russia, and then they can get therapy from there. So they could register in Ukraine, for example, and get therapy there and then go back to Russia. We are in contact with these organizations to support migrants. Of course, now with the coronavirus situation it´s a lot more difficult because the borders are closed. So the migrants can´t go back to their own countries and get treatment there.

What are other factors that influence migrants’ access to health services, besides their legal or illegal status?

So other factors include societal denial and ignorance . Russian people and people who come from post-Soviet countries have a very particular mentality – they believe that HIV will never touch them. They think they will never get sick and if they get something, like a flu, then they just drink some herbs, and everything will be fine.

The other thing is that there is a widespread belief left over from the 90s that only sex workers, LGBTQ+ people and drug users can get HIV, so if you don´t live a “wild life”, you live a so-called a ´normal life´ that is not connected to drugs or sex work, then you definitely will never get HIV. Another thing is that people still have a lot of unprotected sex. Moreover, most of the migrants that come to Russia send their money to their families back home. All the money that migrants earn is sent back to their home countries and they do not want to spend this money on healthcare.

Are culture and language also a barrier for migrants to access health services?

Yes, it’s a very big barrier. Together with my organization we went to one of the detention centres for illegal migrants in February and there is no official interpreter for them there. Migrants are communicating with through signs. Even though there is a lot of medical information about HIV and how to access medical services, there are no interpreters for migrants. For example, of the four people who came from Uzbekistan, only one spoke Russian. The people who cannot speak Russian are trying to figure it out for themselves.

 Is there a governmental programme that tries to help migrants integrate into Russian society?

There is no governmental programme like this, these kinds of activities are mostly done by NGOs. These activities include language training, consultations, cultural trainings and workshops, and it´s mostly just NGOs doing that, as volunteers.

Which services does your organization provide for labour migrants?

We provide peer-to-peer consultations for migrants. We also have lawyers, virologists, and psychologists who support migrants. We are also supporting migrants in getting their Russian citizenship and filling out the documents for work and residence permits. If there are funds, we also try to support migrants financially. We also have rehabilitation centres for drug HIV positive users. Also, we often organize information events for labour migrants where we tell them about access to health services and about treatment and testing for HIV. We also have a lot of contact with local organizations and job centres. If a migrant is looking for a job, we can refer them to our other contacts.

What do you think should be done to improve the access to health services?

On the governmental level, first of all the medical insurance for labour migrants should cover all the medical services that are also available for Russian citizens. On the local level it would be great if NGOs get financial support from the government to pay for HIV treatment and testing for migrants.

There is always hope that things will change. If the government provides enough support, treatment and care to migrants then communicable diseases will not be transmitted. There are migrants who take their health and the health of their families very seriously, but they do not have the same access to health services as Russian citizens.

PEAH News Flash 397

News Flash Links, as part of the research project PEAH (Policies for Equitable Access to Health), aim to focus on the latest challenges by trade and governments rules to equitable access to health in resource-limited settings

News Flash 397

 

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