On July 1st-3rd, Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS/Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (TPAA/GBC) held the third module in its educational course for governmental officials on the development and implementation of regional HIV/AIDS programs. The three-day event, entitled «Cross-sector cooperation and public-private partnership," was held in Orenburg and built upon two course modules held in April/May 2008.
In total, the course trained 47 representatives of the Orenburg region, including representatives of local governmental structures, medical institutions and NGOs. TPAA/GBC was officially recognized by the Orenburg Ministry of Health and regional AIDS center for its work on the course and the course is now being incorporated into the educational system for professional development of government. Replication of the educational course is also under consideration in the Krasnoyarsk region.
Background
Despite extensive efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, the Orenburg region continues to be one of the Russian regions most affected by HIV/AIDS. According to the experts, Orenbeg’s comprehensive anti-AIDS program for 2007–2010 is one of Russia’s most progressive and well designed regional anti-AIDS programs. Nevertheless, regional experts and governmental officials cite challenges in the program implementation, and, opportunities to increase program effectiveness and efficiency.
TPAA/GBC’s educational course was created to help regional governmental officials identify challenges, analyze international and national best practices related to the design and implementation of regional anti-AIDS programs, and develop new methods and tools to make Orenburg’s regional anti-AIDS program more effective.
Participants
Twenty-six representatives of governmental structures and local NGOs participated in the three-day training, including the following agencies and centers:
- Regional Ministry of Health
- Regional AIDS center
- Regional narcology center
- Regional Ministry of Education
- Regional department of Federal Drug Control Service
- Municipal AIDS centers
- Municipal narcology centers
- Orenburg City Commission for Alcoholism, HIV-infection and Drug Abuse Prevention
- Orenburg City Education Department
- Orenburg City Labor and Employment Service
- Orenburg City Social Department
- Orenburg City Youth Policy Department
Content & Outcomes
The first module of TPAA/GBC’s educational course for government officials, which was launched in April, aimed to analyze the structure and content of the current Orenburg region anti-AIDS program, evaluate the priority directions of the program implementation, and analyze the key challenges the region faces while implementing the program. During the second module, the participants elaborated on practical methods to increase program effectiveness. The final, third module was dedicated to methods and tools for cooperation with private and non-commercial sectors, including how to use these resources to develop and implement regional anti-AIDS programs. During the module, the participants developed concrete models for cross-sector cooperation in the Orenburg region and summarized the plans and projects that were developed over the course of the three modules.
During the three-day event, experts presented on contemporary methods of cross-sector cooperation, including how to involve local business structures and NGOs into regional AIDS program implementation, and discussed how private-public partnerships (PPPs) can be used in Orenburg region. Presenters included Nodar Khananashvili, lawyer and Vice-President of the National Association of Charity Organizations; Prof. Larisa Konovalova of the High School of Economics; Denis Kamaldinov, Head of PhD Consulting; and Vyacheslav Evseev, Director on cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organizations at the Russian Managers’ Association.
During Nodar Khananashvili’s session on the basics of cross-sector cooperation, the participants examined the key principles and legislative frameworks of cross-sector cooperation, and discussed effective social technologies for involving civil society into the procedures of public government. They also developed concrete projects of cross-sector cooperation, and identified a «social projects fair» as the most relevant for the region. Prof. Larisa Konovalova outlined key principles of corporate social responsibility and how they are applied in Russian companies, social programs developed and implemented by Russian businesses, and how projects addressing HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment can be of interest to business as a long-term social activity. As part of Prof. Konovalova’s session, the participants also developed schemes of work with business aimed at involving companies in supporting and funding HIV/AIDS projects.
During the second half of the course, Denis Kamaldinov’s session studied the key organizational and legislative principles of cooperation between governmental sector and NGOs in HIV/AIDS field, and led a discussion between governmental and NGO representatives about key challenges and tasks of cooperation within regional AIDS program. Lastly, Vyacheslav Evseev spoke about the PPP model and how it works in public healthcare field, including the legislative, organizational and financial aspects of PPP. During the final practical session, each participant developed two concrete examples of PPP projects that could be implemented in Orenburg region.
According to surveys of participants conducted following the event, all the participants found the information to be comprehensive and useful. As the result of the third module and the educational course in general, the participants developed a list of recommendations aimed at raising the effectiveness of the current regional AIDS program, as well as improving the next regional AIDS program which is to be developed in 2009–2010. The recommendations were discussed within the group and will be submitted to the Orenburg oblast Governor and Orenburg Oblast Vice-Governor on Social Issues for consideration.
