Projects that we worked on in the past. Their support is now complete.

• Accompaniment of IDPs
• Festival "Migration – an attempt to flee or the right for a better life"
• Tuberculosis Control Program
• Pediatric Department "Chikosh"

Accompaniment of IDPs (2014-2015)

After the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan), President Yanukovych and other politicians fled Ukraine. The Russian Federation refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and illegally annexed a part of the territory of the sovereign state of Ukraine, the Crimean Peninsula, and initiated the creation of self-proclaimed republics in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. As a result, war broke out in the East of our country.

These tragic events caused a massive exodus of people, first from the annexed Crimea, and then from the territory of the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR. And for the first time in its history, Ukraine faced such a phenomenon as internally displaced persons (IDPs).

During 2014-2015 our organization’s office became a non-governmental volunteer headquarters for receiving and assisting IDPs. Our activities were aimed at supporting families and children, single pensioners and providing them with basic needs: from assistance in paperwork, search and rental of housing, to distribution of basic food kits, payment for medicines and psychological assistance.

Later the organization helped active representatives of IDPs who remained in Zakarpattia to create their own NGO "Donbas – Transcarpathia", which continues to deal with the most painful issues related to IDPs in the region.

Festival "Migration – an attempt to flee or the right to a better life?" (2011-2013)

For three years in a row, the Charitable Organization "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya" together with the Cinemahall Film Workshop in Uzhhorod has been holding the Short Film Competition "Migration – an attempt to flee or the right to a better life?".

The aim of the Competition is to draw public attention to the existing flows of migrants and refugees. Every year thousands of people try to escape from crises and wars in the Middle East, CIS, Asia and Africa. They are forced to travel illegally, that is why Ukrainian security forces arrest thousands of them. One-sided public information, incorrect statements and actions of political forces lead to the spread of xenophobia, distorted perception and negative attitudes towards migrants and refugees. Our Competition was aimed at those who are ready to reveal at least one of the proposed topics with the help of cinematography:

• equal rights and opportunities for all people without racial discrimination
• prevention and overcoming racism and xenophobia,
• attitudes of young people towards the issues of refugees, emigration, immigration and integration,
• understanding of the phenomenon of foreignness,
• prevention of negative social phenomena in the youth environment.

Video submissions were usually accepted in October-December. In 2011, 10 video works were submitted to the Competition, in 2012 – 9. Geography of the competition works: Uzhhorod, Kyiv, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, Zdolbuniv, Mizhhirya and Vreden (Germany). Participants include journalists, students of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, and amateurs.

Based on the results of the Competition, the Festival of Short Films of the same name was held, where the audience had the opportunity to watch the competition works on the big screen. The II Festival also featured a video by the Uzhhorod Press Club, created as part of the project "Conducting awareness-raising activities in Zakarpattia and Volyn to draw attention to the situation with refugees and asylum seekers". Famous Swiss documentary filmmaker Fernand Melgar participated in the III Festival and headed the jury of the competition. In addition to the competition works, the festival screened the feature-length documentary "Special Flight".

As part of the Competition, its participants and other interested parties could attend seminars on human rights issues and master classes for filmmakers every year. These seminars were usually attended by representatives of local creative, artistic and film groups, photographers, lawyers, journalists, teachers and students of the Zakarpattia State University, Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod College of Culture and Arts, and the Zakarpattia Art Institute.

The presence of a significant number of spectators at the Festival, most of whom were young people, demonstrated not only the openness of Uzhhorod residents to the main theme of the event, but also their interest in such creative initiatives in society. Given that this project was initiated to draw public attention to the existing flows of migrants and refugees and the closely related issues of immigration and integration, racism and xenophobia, acceptance and tolerance, we consider this event to be successful. As a result, we managed not only to support the creative initiatives of young people, but also to give the creators the opportunity to comprehend the phenomenon of foreignness with all its human dimensions and to join in the prevention of negative social phenomena among young people.

Tuberculosis Control Program (2003-2005)

The overall objective of the project is to develop a tuberculosis (TB) control strategy adapted to local resources and strengthen the implementation of planned actions in order to change the epidemiological situation.

The specific objective is to create local opportunities to implement a quality DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) strategy through public awareness and professional knowledge transfer. 

Short-term objectives:

• Raise general public awareness and reassure individuals (by giving them the opportunity) to undergo diagnostic tests of their own free will
• Stimulate professional knowledge transfer:
  • Establish direct contact between NGOs and other relevant structures working in this area at the regional and national levels
  • Inform local health care workers about innovative approaches and effective methods in the DOTS strategy, treatment and prevention of HIV infection, paying special attention to the patient’s immune system status
• Stimulate effective study of the disease:
  • Improve case detection based on the capabilities of the Regional Department of Health
  • Establish and monitor the process of detecting TB, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other common diseases based on the capabilities of the Regional Department of Health

Long-term goals:

• Unite local potentials and initiatives 
• Establish long-term and close collaborative relationships between key stakeholders
• Inform, prepare and encourage individuals to undergo diagnostic testing voluntarily

Actual results:

• Through population surveys, we obtained valid data on the perception of TB among the population of Zakarpattia. A total of 9,943 surveys were conducted, representing 7.9% of the total population of Zakarpattia. 
• During the seminars held in 13 districts of the region, medical personnel (271 individuals) from the primary healthcare facilities shared their knowledge, needs and requirements with TB specialists.
• The results showed that only 24% of the surveyed population was aware of the TB epidemic, although the majority believed that they were not sufficiently informed about the issue (65%). The success of public awareness campaigns showed that the population was interested in addressing health issues.
• A total of 14,790 individuals directly benefited from the preventive and informative campaign conducted by the mobile team, covering 12% of the population of Zakarpattia: 
  • schoolchildren – 11,214;
  • secondary school teachers – 366;
  • medical college students – 910;
  • vocational school students – 72.

Equipment provided:

• 13 binocular microscopes
• 500 sputum collection containers
• 16 sets of test systems
• 5,000 rapid tests
• 11 laboratory tables
• TB and HIV documentation for the resource center

IEC materials distributed:

• TB prevention posters (3,000 pcs.)
• Posters on modes of transmission of TB and HIV, common and different (3,000 pcs.)
• Posters for adolescents on modes of transmission and prevention of TB and AIDS (15,000 pcs.)
• Posters on sputum collection and transportation (1,000 pcs.)

DOTS training documents:

• Detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis (100 pcs.)
• Treatment of patients with tuberculosis No. 3 (100 pcs.)
• Calculated needs for anti-tuberculosis drugs and other materials No. 8 (100 pcs.)
• Treatment monitoring of patients with tuberculosis (100 pcs.)
• Patient education No. 11 (100 pcs.)
• Cohort analysis of treatment outcomes for patients with tuberculosis No. 7 (100 pcs.)
• Quarterly report on detected tuberculosis cases No. 6 (100 pcs.)
• Tuberculosis case registration No. 4 (100 pcs.)
• Supervisory visits No. 10 (100 pcs.)
• Control over the activities of the laboratory service No. 9 (100 pcs.)
• Order No. 680 "On the implementation of the adapted DOTS strategy in Ukraine" (50 pcs.)
• Zakarpattia Regional State Administration of Health – Order No. 628-0 (50 pcs.)
• "Procedure and rules for voluntary HIV counseling and testing" (250 pcs.)
• Data on the activities of the regional TB service for 2004-2005 (40 pcs.)
• Zakarpattia Regional State Administration of Health – Order No. 09-0 (100 pcs.)
• "TB/HIV/AIDS" (100 pcs.)

Work with medical professionals: 

• 1,114 doctors actively participated in the awareness campaign throughout the region.
• A national conference was held on November 15-17, 2005, where participants discussed the formulation of policies to fight tuberculosis. It involved 45 chief doctors from regional tuberculosis dispensaries and representatives from the Center for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS. The conference also included roundtable discussions and seminars.
• 26 doctors participated in DOTS trainings:
  • 13 chief doctors from each central hospital in the region;
  • 13 district phthisiologists.

Pediatric Department “Chikosh”

In 1999, the Berehove Regional Psychiatric Hospital received from the Ministry of Defense an old military compound located on 40 hectares. This old military base is situated 13 km away from Berehove, in a place called Chikosh, on the outskirts of the village of Yanoshi. 

In 2000, the Medical Aid Committee (France), with the support of the European Union (ECHO), opened the first department in Chikosh, where patients were transferred from the "Buch" department of the regional psychiatric hospital, which had suffered severe damage during the 1998 flood, and patients were crowded in the main hospital buildings, with less than 2 m² per patient.

At the same time, the attention of both the French and our organizations was drawn to the pediatric department, which was also located in unsuitable conditions. Despite the poor conditions for receiving children (both external and internal spaces are too small), the staff of this institution became the initiator of pedagogical activities.

In 2003, a new pediatric department of the Regional Psychiatric Hospital was officially opened in Chikosh. 

The Medical Aid Committee (France), with the support of the Dutch funds NCDO et SON, carried out a complete reconstruction of the building, and our organization, with the support of DEZA: 

• Built a playground 
• Completely furnished and equipped with educational/developmental materials and equipment, as well as provided handouts 
• Conducted a series of trainings and exchanges of experience

The main goal was not only to improve the department, but also to create a homely environment within the department to eliminate the oppressive state of the child and to make her/his stay in the hospital more comfortable. It was about participating in changing the perception of hospitals (particularly psychiatric hospitals, which are sensitive and vulnerable places in former Soviet republics) by families and reducing inductive trauma in children... 

Additionally, support was provided to the department until almost 2008 in terms of providing developmental materials and handouts, and professional accompaniment to social workers in their work with children.