Sofia, March 9-10, 2017
Representatives of municipalities and health mediators from Sliven, Tvarditza, Shivachevo, Peshtera, Blagoevgrad, Samokov, Kovachevzi, Rozino and Hristo Danovo, Rakitovo, as well as the expert team of BFPA and NNHM, working on the ‘Mission Possible’ project, gathered at a working meeting looking for sustainability for activities after finishing the project. The Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) is implementing this project in partnership with National Network of Health Mediators (NNHM) on BG07 ‘Initiatives for Public Health’ programme of the Norvegian Financial mechanism via the Bulgarian Ministry of Health in 14 locations with extremely marginalized vulnerable communities.
Participants shared about difficulties and good practices of their work by places.
It became clear that the future work connected with the continuation of providing health services in these communities couldn’t be implemented without the partnership of municipalities and the identified on project community leaders and groups of self-support. BFPA and NNHM will be available to support local teams in their efforts of looking for financing and implementing the future work on providing health services in the project locations. The team proposes different strategies and approaches - providing mobile services, subsidized by the municipalities, and elaborating health strategies with plans of action are just two of the options to be adapted to local conditions.
Among the main difficulties to overcome in the process of implementing the activities were: lack of realizing the importance of taking care of one’s own health status and building confidential relationships between patients and specialists providing health services by locations. The final meeting on the initiative ‘Mission Possible: better sexual and reproductive health for young people from vulnerable communities – ways of overcoming health inequalities’ is to take place on 20 April 2017 in Sofia.
