Youth Friendly Health Services in Moldova

Projet terminé

In Moldova, young people face various health challenges which are currently not adequately addressed by health services. To improve this situation, Youth Friendly Health Services started as pilots in 2005 and are being scaled-up by the Ministry of Health since 2011, with the support of SDC. The project is focused on improving the quality and enhancing the comprehensiveness of the services, as well as on the community support for young people to adopt a healthier lifestyle and seek assistance from health services.

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Moldova
Santé
Santé & droits reproductives
Maladies sexuellement transmissibles (y compris VIH/sida)
01.11.2014 - 31.10.2018
CHF  4’755’000
Contexte

Young people make up nearly a quarter of the total population in Moldova. They face various health issues, such as sexual and reproductive problems, substance abuse, mental health disorders and suicide. The Moldovan health system did not yet completely overcome the legacy of the Soviet times, which focused solely on disease control, while disregarding the needs of specific target groups. In 2010, a radical public health reform has been launched. However, so far, it remains partial, with a need to further increase the insurance coverage and to improve the care provided to young people. In 2011, the Minestry of Health therefore ordered the scale up of the Youth Friendly Health Services . This project is implementing this strategy, by ensuring quality, sustainability and accessibility (especially for vulnerable adolescents) of Youth Friendly Health Services.

Objectifs

The project contributes to the improvement of the health of young men and women in Moldova, through increasing the demand, accessibility and utilization of quality youth friendly services and health-related education programmes.

The overall goal is that young people (particularly those vulnerable and most at risk) adopt safer behaviours and seek assistance from health services when needed. 

Groupes cibles

Regarding the health system, the primary target groups are the public health authorities at national and district level, as well as the health professionals working in YFHS. The secondary target groups are: i) community stakeholders including 500 resource teams of 2-3 persons (one team per school) and ii) parents/ care-takers of adolescents.

To reach a maximum of young people and especially the vulnerable ones, the project works also with youth volunteers, professional associations and NGOs working with young people and/or vulnerable groups and the mass media. Furthermore, with its focus on inter-sectorial cooperation, stakeholders in all relevant sectors (health, education, social, law enforcement, etc.) are targeted as well.

Project beneficiaries: all young people aged 10 to 24 years (especially those vulnerable and most at risk; young couples with or without children). 

Effets à moyen terme
  • Young men and women have equitable access to quality reproductive health services
  • The promotion of adolescent and youth health and the identification and referral of young people to YFHS is improved, through a stronger engagement of relevant stakeholders, at national and local level, in inter-sectorial cooperation
  • Young men and women adopt safer and healthier behaviors and seek necessary medical assistance, through a greater encouragement from community stakeholders 
Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Over the next three years the following numbers will be achieved:

  • 38 YFHC will be functional and covering the whole country with YFHS
  • 250’000 adolescents will benefit from YFHS per year
  • 3’000 general health professionals, 2’000 community resource persons and 200 YFHC professionals will be trained


Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

In the first phase, 38 Youth Friendly Health Centers (YFHCs) have been set up, covering the entire country, except Transnistrian region. In 2014, all the YFHCs have been contracted by the National Health Insurance Company and the public funding for YFHS increased by 40%. The legal and regulatory framework for YFHS has been partially revised. Health care providers and community steakholders in 16 districts (half of the total number of districts in the country) received training; those from the remaining districts will be trained within the second phase. Important progress has been made towards including adolescent health care issues in the medical university curriculum. As a result of all these developments, the number of young people accessing YFHS almost quadrupled (from 5% in 2009 to about 20% in 2013), which also had measurable positive impact on the reduction of the sexually transmitted infections incidence among adolescents aged 15-19 years.

To maintain and deepen these progresses, there is a continous need to advocate with national authorities for their further commitment to ensure a sustainable and functional system of comprehensive YFHS, with adequate financing; as well as to increase the support of local initiatives. Inter-sectorial cooperation should also be developed and institutionalized.

 


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Crédit Coopération avec l'Europe de l'Est
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
ONG internationale ou étrangère
Secteur privé
Organisme des Nations Unies (ONU)
  • Secteur privé étranger Nord
  • Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance


Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    4’755’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    3’789’432
Phases du projet Phase 3 01.11.2018 - 30.04.2021   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.11.2014 - 31.10.2018   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.06.2011 - 31.10.2014   (Completed)