Fund Dates

• Start Date: 20 November 2015
• End Date: 31 August 2020

JP BELMED Reports

• Final Narrative Report 2020/Source and Uses of Funds 2020/ 2020 Financial overview
  
• Consolidated Narrative Report 2019
• Source and Uses of Funds 2017

JP Preventing non-communicable diseases, promoting healthy lifestyle and support to modernization of the health system in Belarus: Key Documents

• Programme Document
• Memorandum of Understanding
• Standard Administrative Arrangement

Overview

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),  United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and  World Health Organization (WHO) have established a Joint Programme entitled “Preventing non-communicable diseases, promoting healthy lifestyle and support to modernization of the health system in Belarus” using a pass-through modality.

Project activities are provided for by the EU Annual Action Programme 2013 for Belarus (AAP-2013), which stipulates rendering assistance to improve the health system and the welfare of the Belarusian people, including the following components:

1. International accreditation of Belarusian laboratories for testing medical products.
2. Prevention of NCDs and promotion of healthy lifestyles.
3. Support to modernization of the health system.

The project is a set of measures corresponding to the goals and objectives of Components 2 and 3 of the Programme, implemented in conjunction with the activities of Component 1 and complementing them, contributing to local capacity-building of the areas and regions in terms of development.

The Joint Programme

This proposed action is the first EU financed national entry project in the health sector in Belarus. Therefore it appeared most reasonable to rely on the existing expertise of the most experienced partners. Considering the specific mandate of UN agencies in the health field, extensive partnerships with healthcare civil society organisations and experience in activities at the local level in Belarus, component 2 will be implemented by UN agencies under path-through modality of Joint Programming.

This project is built on the principles of the UN system and the possibilities of specialized agencies (UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA) in terms of strategic measures to combat non-communicable diseases, child and adolescent injuries, and to strengthen the health of mothers and children. It will be implemented through the project which will contribute to the effectiveness of Government programs and actions of the Government and local authorities in the area of reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases, both at the national and regional levels, as well as increased activity of the population in the development and promotion of local initiatives that contribute to better health. Thus, the project priority will be the involvement of the population into the project by providing a tool for joint activities of local authorities, the public and other stakeholders in strengthening public health and improving the quality of health services.

Under the UN policy "Deliver as one" (DAO) UNDP will coordinate the contributions from other UN agencies according to the specific mandates of these agencies. UNDP will coordinate and manage the involvement of specialised UN agencies such as WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, allowing for an integrated approach encompassing multiple intervention aspects into one single action. Moreover, UNDP proves to have an extensive network of non-state partners on the regional and local level, allowing for active and decisive implication of NGOs, local communities and local authorities.

Taking into account that international technical assistance to the Republic of Belarus in the field of health care has been provided to date through specialized UN agencies, the project will be based on years of experience of implementation of such projects by UN agencies. Joint involvement into coordination of implementation of the current project, UN agencies both in Belarus and at the global level, will promote common approaches and coordinate activities to be consistent with the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.

The strategy of the project is built in accordance with he WHO recommendations and the outcomes of the joint mission of the United Nations for the prevention and control of NCDs:

• Strengthen key interventions to control NCDs at the population level (control of tobacco and alcohol).
• Introduce surveillance of NCD risk factors (STEPS).
• Strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration to control NCDs.
• Establish a national coordination mechanism on NCDs with the participation of public sector, NGOs and international organizations.
• Gain evidence of the negative impact of the current burden of NCDs on the economy in general and the possibility of effective control of that influence.
• Optimize individual services in the field of NCDs, including prevention, early detection and effective treatment at the primary health system.
• Reorient the healthcare system towards the patient.

Assistance Strategy

The programme will deliver technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and be in line with the developing national strategy for sustainable socio-economic development of the Republic of Belarus until 2030 and National program to combat non-communicable diseases for 2015-2020, reflecting the issues of primary and secondary prevention of NCDs as well as implement several pilot projects. All indicative activities are targeted to be implemented primarily on the local level with wide involvement of civil society organizations, local initiatives, and local authorities.

Support of the National efforts within the project will be provided in accordance with the following objectives:

1. Promotion of healthy lifestyles and prevention of non-communicable diseases aimed at reducing the impact of the most significant risk factors for non-communicable diseases (smoking, alcohol abuse, smoking, unhealthy diet and low levels of physical activity);
2. Development of mechanisms to promote healthy lifestyles at the local level;
3. Creation of mechanisms to ensure the quality of medical services and capacity building of primary health care system for detection of breast cancer;
4. Improvement of child disease and child injuries prevention system;
5. Improvement of health system in the field of maternal and child health care;
6. Provision of policy guidance aimed at strengthening health system with focus in primary health care in Belarus;
7. Improvement of coordination of service providers and continuity of care;
8. Improvement of clinical competencies of practitioners and standardization of practice related to prevention, control and treatment of NCDs;
9. Development of incentive schemes for health providers that are aligned to the achievement of better NCDs outcomes.

Governance

The Ministry of Health will supervise management of the project progress, effective use of project resources and achievement of the planned results of the project. UN Agencies involved into the project implementation will ensure that the resources entrusted to it by the donor for project implementation shall be used in accordance with the terms of the European Union's financial contribution to the project, and that the implementation of the project activities leads to achievement of the planned results of the project and contributes to the results of the UNDAF for 2011 – 2015 and 2016 – 2020.

A Project Steering Committee (PSC) will be established within the framework of the project. The PSC will monitor and analyze the implementation process and provide advice on the most effective implementation strategy to ensure achievement of project results and coordination of relevant activities. It will also approve the annual work plans and, as necessary, key project documents. PSC will convene for meeting as deemed necessary, but no less than twice a year.

The representative of the Ministry of Health will chair the PSC. PSC will include representatives of the Delegation of the European Union, UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA and other stakeholders.

For the effective and timely implementation of the project, a project team will be established and headed by a project manager. The project manager will be responsible for the daily management of the project and project staff in accordance with rules and procedures of the Joint Programming, the national legislation of the Republic of Belarus.

At the same time, to reduce risks related to the project management, appointment of a project manager and project management team will be subject to consultations between UN Agencies, the EU and the Ministry of Health.