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HIV-Positive Activists Movement and Changing Treatment Policy

HIV-Positive Activists Movement and Changing Treatment Policy. David Ananiashvili “Georgian Plus Group”. Georgian Plus Group (G+G) Association. G+G is the first and the only organization of PLHA in Transcausasia .

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HIV-Positive Activists Movement and Changing Treatment Policy

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  1. HIV-Positive Activists Movement and Changing Treatment Policy David Ananiashvili “Georgian Plus Group”

  2. Georgian Plus Group (G+G) Association G+G is the first and the only organization of PLHA in Transcausasia. The organization was founded in 2000 and officially registered with legal institutions in 2002. 18 members, 6 – full-time employees. G+G can accept only people personally facing the HIV/AIDS epidemic as its members. In 2003 Georgian Plus Group-Dasavleti branch organization was registered in Western Georgia. Due to the organization’s activity, since September 2002 in Georgia cheap generic preparations manufactured by Cipla became more accessible. Participant of the CCM (GFATM).

  3. G+G Mission and Objectives Mission: improving the quality of life of PLHA in Transcaucasia (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). Objectives: • Comprehensive help to PLHA including material, legal, psychological and informational support. • Ensuring accessibility of the full rangeof ARV medication (including generics) to all PLHA in Georgia. • Prevention of HIV, STD, hepatitis in Georgia. • Drug use harm reduction. • Lobbying the Government of Georgia for the interests of PLHA.

  4. Projects • Crisis Consulting Centre for PLHA. Free consulting by lawyers, psychologists, social workers. • Quarterly Plus Magazine for PLHA. • Information series for PLHA. • Opening a crisis consulting centre for PLHA in Western Georgia (in Poti). • Prevention of HIV, STD and hepatitis in Georgian Army. • Advocacy for providing essential medical services for PLHA in Georgia.

  5. Advocacy as the Most Efficient Method of Providing PLHA with Free ARV Medication. “Advocacy is an ever-lasting process directed towards changing attitudes, actions, policies and laws by influencing people and decision-making organizations, systems and structures on different levels for improving the situation of people facing the problem”. (Reference: adapted from the HIV/AIDS advocacy skills training materials, International HIV/AIDS Alliance in India, November 2001).

  6. 8 Steps 1. Picking a problem or issue you are going to work with; 2. Analyzing and investigating the problem/issue;  3. Defining specific goals of your advocacy work; 4. Identifying targets (target groups); 5. Identifying resources; 6. Finding or identifying allies; 7. Creating a working plan; 8. Implementing, monitoring and assessing

  7. Advocacy Levels • local (village, district, town, etc.) • national (whole country) • international (involving more than one country). It is necessary to define causes and consequences.

  8. Advocacy Example (Georgia) Problem: inaccessibility of ARV medication including generics for the majority of PLHA in Georgia. Result: by the end of 2002 medication manufactured by Cipla became available at a low price (600 USDper year). Later the price went up 3 times.

  9. Global Fund! • All PLHA in Georgia will be provided with ARV medication. • Substitutive treatment (methadone). • Improving the quality of services for PLHA. • Supporting HIV-positive movement in Georgia and entire Transcaucasia. • Effective prevention campaign.

  10. Problems! • Unavailability of the full range of ARV medication including the most recent ones. • Treating hepatitis C in case of co-infection. • Corruption. • Bureaucracy.

  11. Way out of the Current Situation • Full involvement of patients in the decision-making process (ССМ, Ministry of Health, Municipality, Parliament). • Lobbying the interests of PLHA. • Participating in the tender for purchasing ARV medication (Global Fund). • Mass media campaign (local and foreign). • Influencing decision-makers (personal meetings). • Involving organizations for human rights, partners. • Working with companies manufacturing necessary medication.

  12. Sources ADVOCACY(DEFENDING INTERESTS) IN ACTION GUIDELINES FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH HIV/AIDS Compiled in cooperation with the International Council of AIDS Services Organizations (ICASO) International HIV/AIDS Alliance

  13. CONTACTS Tel./Fax: + 995 32 53 68 67 E-mail: group@magicaldesk.com datoan@mail.ru Web-site: www.Georgian-Plus-Group.org Director: David Ananiashvili

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