Sectors	Regional and territorial cooperation
EU Acquis Chapters	Other issues
EU funds	46 367 €
Implementation period	2013 - 2024
Categories	Civil society;  Gender ;  Climate action ;  Digital (Mouse hover to see significance)

The project will provide currently unavailable health and social services in the field of prevention, detection and treatment of viral hepatitis. With Info-hep centre in Split-Dalmatia County and in Banja Luka, those services will be easy accessible to all groups in targeted communities, particularly marginalized ones or those in risk. Through advocacy and lobbying of health system and decisions makers, educational trainings for primary health care physicians, round table and international meeting, the project will increase level of knowledge and awareness among stakeholders in health systems in Split-Dalmatia County as well as in Republika Srpska on importance of improvement of health care for viral hepatitis in the institutional system as well as the methods to offer new services with smaller costs.

This Project provided non-existent and unavailable health and social services in the field of prevention, detection and treatment of viral hepatitis. With establishment of the Information Centres for Hepatitis (Info HEP Centre –IHC) in the Split - Dalmatia County and in Banja Luka (with surrounding north-west area of Bosnia and Herzegovina), those services became easily accessible to all groups in targeted communities, particularly marginalized ones or those in risk. Through IHC (stationary and mobile) the project provided 2.775 services for 2.764 persons, out of which 1.079 through stationary, and 1.685 through mobile IHC. Stationary IHCs received 586 calls through free info phone/ SOS phone, provided 89 online counselling, 73 individual counselling, 28 participants on self- help groups, 303 tested person.Mobile IHCs addressed 336 persons from rural areas, 341 persons from urban areas, 517 persons tested in VCT, 265 prisoners and prison staff, 226 drug addicts. 12 healthcare professionals participated in the work of IHC (6 in Croatia, 6 in BH). 12 staff of NGOs were educated on organisation of the Info HEP Centre work and activities through 2 workshops. At the same time, 135 general practitioners received education through 5 workshops. In total 1.508 persons were tested (537 in Croatia, 971 in BH), from which 1.457 were newly tested (486 in Croatia, 971 in BH). Out of newly tested in the community 718 were tested through mobile IHCs/field activities, 303 through IHCs and 517 through VCTs. As a part of advocacy and lobbying activities, 10 different advocacy letters were sent to 316 addresses; 26 meetings with key stakeholders, 1 round table and 1 international meeting for 43 participants were held. Amongst key achievements of the project is the Analysis of public policies in BH and Croatia regarding the prevention and treatment of the ill with viral hepatitis with recommendations for revision of the Guidelines. In BiH, for the first time in a systematic manner, it analysed the policy in the field of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis in BiH. The Analysis has enabled to define the necessary steps to be taken in this area. An additional value of the project is the implementation of preventive activities within the Mobile IHC in flooded regions in BiH. After the May 2014 floods in BiH, a large number of the population is at risk from spreading of infectious diseases due to poor hygiene and epidemiological situation as well as the occurrence of risky behaviours as result of trauma exposure. Through project activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 35 volunteers were trained in undertaking protective measures when assisting to vulnerable population. In this manner, the project team disseminated knowledge and information about ways of hepatitis prevention to wider population. The project implemented the Campaign - destigmatisation of the ill and organised two public awareness raising actions marking the World Hepatitis Day in 2013 in Split and Banja Luka. Awareness raising was a continuous activity using promotional and educational materials, media appearances, web site.