Summary of project results
The project aims to increase access of Roma vulnerable groups to basic community health services. The specific objective was to enhance institutional capacity of the local authority through the further development of the network of Roma health mediators and community nurses, focusing on mother and child health, reproductive health and MDR TB control. The project activities was based on nationally and internationally recognized best practices regarding the access to health services for Roma population in disadvantaged communities. This initiative has complemented the national health mediators program and has identified other 45 communities, mostly Roma, who don’t have access to basic health services. Each of these communities benefited from the support of a team of health mediator and a community nurse, who was employed by the local authority and provide services identified following an analysis of the basic health needs of the community. The main achievements of the project are: 45 community health centres functional, from which 43 where refurbished by the project and 2 by local authorities, 90 monitoring visits made by PP, 128601 vulnerable people served by Roma health mediators and community workers, 1 study assessing the health needs of the Roma community was finalized, 10000 kits printed and distributed, 1590 booklets ”Mother and child” were distributed (35 per each village and 15 supplementary) and there were organized information sessions for mothers, 1365 promo packages for children (35 per each village and 15 supplementary) especially in kindergartens and primary schools, 50 professionals from the District Health Directorates trained as trainers, 45 agreements with local authorities were signed information and dissemination events (national conference of Roma mediators on 7-9 July 2016, workshops on legislation organized in November 2016, conference for disseminating the proposals for improving legislative framework on community care assistance 13th of March 2017), campaign for promoting the video clips in communities (January-April 2017), the final conference of the programme took place on 7the of April 2017. For additional information please visit
http://www.reteaua-amc.ro/. The project has achieved all proposed objective and indicators. More than that, the project represent a best practices in primary care area but also represent the commitment of the Ministry of Health to promote the development of the primary care sector targeting mainly the geographical areas in which this kind of services were not previous available.