Sustainable healthcare: business continuity training in Armenia

Today, in Yerevan, Armenia, the two-day training on “Managing the Healthcare System Using an International Business Continuity Approach in the Republic of Armenia” concluded. The main objective of the training was to initiate structured continuity planning in health and social services in Armenia.

The training also highlighted supporting objectives, including explaining the principles of business continuity management, identifying key technical and programmatic risks, and developing solutions for critical processes and services.

Special attention was paid to the experience and innovations applied during the war in Ukraine.

Ievgen Kushnir, Senior Program Manager at the Alliance for Public Health, presented at the training the work of the organization during the war in Ukraine, namely on the continuity of access to treatment and necessary drugs. In two years, the Alliance has introduced new programs on mental health, assistance to blind veterans, delivery of humanitarian aid, a habilitation center for veterans who have lost limbs, a virtual social worker, long-acting PrEP and OAT, and the development of telemedicine in Ukraine.

Nongovernmental organizations in Armenia, given the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, which among other things has forced 120,000 people from the region to relocate to other regions of Armenia, understand and plan modified interventions as well as seek new sources of funding to implement cutting-edge activism to ensure sustainability of services for key communities during emergencies.

“This training marks a critical advancement towards ensuring the sustainability of health and social services, especially HIV-related services, in Armenia and throughout the EECA region. The training program not only highlights the urgency of recognizing and mitigating potential risks but also illustrates a preventative strategy to protect vital health programs from potential disruptions. This event goes beyond mere training; it is a forward-thinking step toward a more robust healthcare infrastructure. The training emphasizes the importance of continued access to HIV services, which is essential to the well-being of communities. In the face of adversity, one must not just endure, but become stronger by ensuring that HIV services are accessible and effective, thereby strengthening the resilience of the health system and the ability of the community to thrive even in adversity.” – says Ekaterina Ryzhkova-Sebeleva, SEH Project Coordinator.

Andreas Tamberg, Portfolio Manager, and Vira Zemlyanska, Program Officer at the Global Fund hosted the event. The meeting was also attended by representatives of UNAIDS (Roza Babayan), World Health Organization(ZHANG, Yu, SEIFELDIN, Redda), Real World Real People NGO, Pink Armenia, New Generation, MDM, MOH, the CPH of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, SEH.

The event was organized by Social Equation Hub (SEH), Global Fund, WHO with the support of 100% LIFE, Alliance for Public Health within the framework of the project “Sustainability of Services among Key Populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA)” funded by the Global Fund.