A regional meeting of #SoS_2.0 project partners took place on June 12-13 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina with the title “Sustainability of the HIV response in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia”. The event brought together 40 participants, including project staff, REActors, experts, as well as managers and partners of the regional program.
The purpose of the meeting was to evaluate the program’s achievements and identify priorities for the future. The #SoS_2.0 team presented the significant results achieved in the implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and budget advocacy in the countries of South-Eastern Europe in 2022-2024.
Here are some of the key achievements and goals of the program:
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
– Involvement of MSM group representatives in PrEP programs. To date, the program has enrolled clients: North Macedonia: 74, Bosnia and Herzegovina: 40, Montenegro: 65
– The ambitious goals of the program by 2026 are to achieve 20% PrEP coverage among key populations.
Budget advocacy at the national and municipal levels has significant results in 2023
Social contracting for HIV prevention, including funding for NGOs:
North Macedonia: $341,921
Serbia: $271,256
Montenegro: $180,107
Bosnia and Herzegovina: $92,000
Municipal funding under the Fast Track Cities initiative
Podgorica: $45,000
Skopje: $39,000
Tirana: $22,000
Novi Sad: $18,500
Shabazz: $11,000
Subotica: $1,000
“These results demonstrate the effective and coordinated actions of all project partners,” added Sergii Filippovych, Director of the #SoS_2.0 regional project. “We are proud that thanks to our joint efforts, interventions important for the countries of the region are being implemented – PrEP is becoming more accessible, the React system is being implemented, and governments and municipalities are allocating more funds for HIV prevention.”
The partners discussed also the current successes and plans for the rest of the year to achieve the goals and objectives of the #SoS_2.0
