LMG/Ukraine supports the PEPFAR-Global Fund Country Collaboration Initiative (CCI), an effort to better coordinate PEPFAR and GFATM investments and efforts in select countries, including Ukraine. The CCI is a 3-year effort aimed at both increasing coordination between PEPFAR and GF-funded HIV programs, and enhancing performance of GF grants in order to expand access to high-quality HIV/AIDS services. The LMG Project supports this initiative to build the programmatic, financial and operational capacity of the Ukrainian Centre for Socially Dangerous Disease Control (UCDC) as one of the Global Fund Round 10 Principal Recipients (PRs) for the HIV grant (and now also PR of the TB Round 9 grant). The LMG Project builds on the progress achieved by the AIDStar-Two Project in their year of work (July 2012-July 2013) to further strengthen UCDC–the only Government of Ukraine (GoU) entity acting as a PR–and build the institution’s overall capacity as the key national agency for the control of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
The CCI/LMG-Ukraine program is designed to help the PR to rapidly address grant conditions and management actions required by GF. The LMG Project works closely with UCDC staff as well as with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, State Service on HIV/AIDS and other Socially Dangerous Diseases, other PRs, and other US Government-funded programs and development partners working in Ukraine.
Together with the UCDC, the CCI/LMG-Ukraine Project hosted a “Sustaining Capacity Development Results” event on September 25, 2015, to showcase capacity gains over the past 21 months, and to commit to plans to use their new capacity.
In attendance were fifteen senior executive and managerial staff who reviewed 35+ strategies, plans, policies, communications, assessments, and other tools. These resources have transformed UCDC into a more resilient organization, and have positioned UCDC to lead in the healthcare system reform process. The timely event also coincided with a Ministry of Health order that formally established a Center for Public Health and appointed the current UCDC Director as its Acting Director.
The partnership between UCDC and the LMG Project created an opportunity for staff to focus on internal capacity development during a time of crisis in Ukraine. Looking forward, UCDC staff feel prepared for the exciting challenges ahead and their new role in the Ukrainian public health system.
In Ukraine, the LMG Project has also partnered with local wheelchair service organizations to strengthen wheelchair services by supporting the delivery of the World Health Organization’s Wheelchair Service Training Package.