Arnoldas Jurgutis, ITA NDPHS Primary Health Care Expert Group NDPHS EXPERT GROUP ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE Activities in 2008 and discussions on possible input to Prison Health topic for PAC Prison Health EG Meeting, February 9th, 2009, Vilnius

PHC EG – role and objectives Promote general awareness concerning the role and significance of comprehensive community oriented PHC as one of the cornerstones of a well functioning health care system Objective of ND PHC work: improved public health through developing cost-effective PHC services, responding appropriately and equitably to the needs of the people

Main activities of PHC EG In 2007 it was elaborated a strategy which covers four working areas: WA 1: Framework for PHC EG functions WA 2: Production of thematic reports and situation analysis WA 3: Support to planning, implementation and monitoring of projects WA 4: PHC EG contribution to database and project pipeline activities as cross-cutting principles

PHC EG Partner representatives Belarus Estonia Finland Latvia Lithuania Norway Poland (co-lead partner) Russia Sweden (lead partner) WHO/Euro

WA 2: Production of thematic reports and situation analysis Report: Primary Health Care in the ND Region Main objective: -to overview the PHC system developments in the countries emphasizing possible gaps -to provide stake-holders with recommendations for possible improvements through project-based activities

Seminar on PHC situation in the ND Countries, Vilnius May 23 rd Organized by: Swedish MoH&SA (lead country of PHC EG) Lithuanian MoH WHO Regional office for Europe Objectives of the seminar: to present evidence from international research data on the importance of PHC in modern society for cost-effective and equitable health care system to introduce recent WHO activities for strengthening PHC in the region. to present and to discuss weaknesses of PHC development and to agree on priority strategies for strengthening PHC in the Northern Dimension (ND) countries

Activities in support to planning, implementation and monitoring of projects ● From situation analysis towards action to change priority problems ● Explored possibilities of getting access to funding for further action (BSR Programme ) ● Swedish East Europe Committee agreed to take lead partner position and contracted Consultant Agency “Sustainable Projects” to develop project proposal ● Project proposal in final stage of development ● Participants - 15 organisations from 8 countries

Project title “Improvement of public health by promotion of equitably distributed high quality primary health care systems” Objective of the project ● To promote the equitable distribution of high quality primary health care services in the BSR in order to increase the cost-efficiency of the public health system and to efficiently counteract communicable diseases as well as health problems related to social factors Expected outcomes: Policy instruments for increasing PHC resources Mechanisms for equitable distribution of PHC system Model solutions to improve performance of PHC professionals in addressing health risks related to social factors and counteracting communicable diseases Strategies and tools for improving quality of PHC services

Discussions on possible PHC EG input related to Prison Health isues for Partnership Annual Conference Better addressed health needs of exprisoners by PHC proffesionals ● Through improved cooperation with relevant social services and approprate counseling better contribution of PHC proffesionals in identification and prevention illegall drug use, violence prevention. (scientific evidence ?) ● Appropriate managemnt of infectious diseases brought out into society by ex-convicts (HIV/AIDS,TB, in particular MDR TB) Yours input for possible topic is very wellcome Further discussions and decissions will be during PHC EG meeting in Kaliningrad March 5-6

THANK YOU!