TRAINING ON FIGHT AND PREVENTION MEASSURES AGAINST COVID-19 FOR CSO REPRESENTATIVES
On May 25-27, 2022, capacity building training for CSO representatives was held in Tsakhkadzor, organized by the New Generation Humanitarian NGO. The aim of the training was to raise awareness among CSO representatives about the provision of TB-related services, the fight against COVID-19, the importance and specifics of the outreach work during the pandemic, HIV prevention programs among vulnerable groups, right to health and documentation of human rights violations.
On the first day of the training, May 25, Anahit Badalyan, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the National Center for Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, launched the training, presenting the coronavirus and its epidemiology, impacts, anti-pandemic measures and efficiency, the role of the outreach work in raising awareness of epidemics, vulnerability of the risk of groups to COVID and peculiarities of counselling, relations of COVID-19 and HIV, compatibility of ARV drugs with vaccinations as well as COVID-19 vaccine types and their features.
On the second day of the training, May 26, Lusine Yeghiazaryan, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of the National Center of Pulmonology of the RA Ministry of Health, spoke about tuberculosis (TB). She particularly referred to the epidemiological situation of TB in Armenia, presented in detail the TB pathogen, methods of transmission, symptoms, treatment schemes, connection with other diseases, she highlighted the importance to educate the patient in the fight against TB. The expert also pointed out the connection of COVID-19 and TB, the challenges in the sphere and the uninterrupted provision of TB services in the conditions of the epidemic.
Then, the second half of the day was continued by Sergey Gabrielyan, President of New Generation Humanitarian NGO, who spoke about the HIV prevention activities carried out among vulnerable groups in Armenia, the continuity of services provided in the conditions of the epidemic, the obstacles and challenges.
The topic of the last day of the training, May 27, was legal: the right to health and documentation of cases of human rights violations, which was presented by the lawyer of the organization Shushan Khnkoyan. The expert firstly spoke about the preconditions for the realization of the right to health, existing legislation, medical secrecy, then explained in detail the obligations and responsibilities of medical care service providers, types of free medical care guaranteed by the state and service. In particular, she spoke about the RA law on the prevention of the disease caused by HIV, the guarantees for the protection of the rights and freedoms of people infected with HIV. The second part of the training was dedicated to the circumstances essential for documenting cases of violation of the right to health, the steps taken after documentation, and protection mechanisms.
The training was held in an atmosphere of active discussions, questions and answers, during which participants received answers to all their questions. At the end of the training the participants were awarded certificates.
HIV Prevention in Armenia project is implemented by New Generation Humanitarian NGO with financial support of the RA Ministry of Health from the funds of The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in cooperation with the National Center for Infectious Diseases CJSC of the RA Ministry of Health.