Transition in the Balkans: are countries ready to sustain harm reduction programs?

Due to the rapid economic growth in a large part of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including the Balkan area, important economic and public health shifts have occurred rendering countries in the region ineligible for development assistance.

At the same time, after a period of exponential growth in international aid for health, the economic crisis resulted in decrease of donors’ funding available for developing countries, including for HIV and TB programs, and in particular this is the case for the support available from the Global Fund.

Seeking to evaluate the processes and consequences of the transition from the Global Fund financing of HIV response among key affected populations with the sustainability of harm reduction services, a number of case studies were developed on some of Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania and Montenegro).

The development of these case studies was guided by a Transition Readiness Assessment Tool (TRAT) developed to analyze the readiness and risks of transition from donor funding to sustainable domestic financing, identifying key barriers that must be addressed before sustainable transition is possible with a particular emphasis on assessing the sustainability of harm reduction services through and beyond the transition period.

Transition Readiness Assessment Tool (TRAT)

Transition Readiness Assessment Tool. User Manual

The Impact of Transition from Global Fund Support to Governmental Funding on the Sustainability of Harm Reduction Programs:

Case Study from Albania

Case Study from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Case Study from Bulgaria

Case Study from Macedonia

Case Study from Romania

Case Study from Montenegro

Source of the original content – Eurasian Harm Reduction Network