When the vital needs of 600 people are at stake ...

"Now, more than ever, we must join efforts to overcome the global crisis, not only in the field of healthcare, but also in providing continuous assistance and support for people from key groups and communities. They must be ensured the right to life and sustainable access to prevention and life-saving treatment to reduce the risk of COVID-19".
Svetlana Kulshis Director of NGO "Demetra Association"

Task

In the country, due to the coronavirus pandemic, HIV testing services were reduced, and prevention services have found themselves in unfavorable legal and social conditions. It became a real challenge for both nongovernmental organizations – service providers, and for their recipients – people living with HIV, and representatives of key groups.

Under the new conditions, in order to provide access to prevention services and to continue to help maintain commitment to treatment, we needed to adapt incredibly  quickly. We urgently needed to develop new rules for the provision of services and to remote as far as possible into interaction formats and do not forget about compliance with all preventive measures for employees.

Solution

During the pandemic, we managed to turn our entire experience of providing harm reduction services upside down, but we managed.

To begin with, we promptly took all necessary actions to increase the stability and safety of the organization’s employees.

  • We have developed clear internal guidelines for the provision of services during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • To increase sustainability and minimize risk, we divided the team of employees into mini-teams consisting of two specialists – social and medical workers. A new work shift schedule was drawn up for them so that the working hours of the groups did not cross. In this case, even if someone falls ill, other mini-teams that will continue to provide vital services for our customers.
  • All our employees were provided with personal protective equipment. We formed new packages of consumables for the participants of the syringe exchange program: the number of all issued instruments was increased, and we also supplemented the packages with personal protective equipment for the prevention of coronavirus infection.
  • Consultations for clients on HIV, testing and treatment were hold online: we have begun to use more mobile communications and social networks. Since the very beginning of the epidemic, we have observed a significant increase in the demand for services of this format.
  • Separately, we encouraged information and awareness-raising initiative, distributed relevant recommendations online while consulting clients.
  • Within the quarantine period, individual customer reception was made only by appointment and in case of emergency.

Results

In 2 months of quarantine restrictions, nearly 600 people have used the services of the harm reduction office of the Demetra Association! And these people just could not pause their vital needs for special harm reduction services and treatment. We managed not only to survive, but also to fully adapt, while maintaining the sustainability of HIV prevention, harm reduction services and expanding our services for the prevention of COVID-19