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Category: NEWS

  • Article on Springer-Determinants of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Injecting Drug Users in Georgia

    Curatio International Foundation has published the article on Springer, Aids and Behavior Section. The article covers the findings of CIF’s recent study on Injection risk practices and risky sexual behaviors among injection drug users (IDUs) and their sexual partners particularly vulnerable to HIV. The purpose of the study was to describe and understand determinants of high-risk sexual behavior among IDUs in Georgia. A cross-sectional, anonymous survey assessed knowledge, behavior and HIV status in IDUs in five Georgian cities (Tbilisi, Gori, Telavi, Zugdidi, Batumi) in 2009. The study enrolled in total 1,127 (1,112 males, 15 females) IDUs. Results indicate that occasional sexual relationships are common among male IDUs, including married ones.

    Authors of the article are: Ivdity Chikovani, Ketevan Goguadze, Ivana Bozicevic, Natia Rukhadze & George Gotsadze.

    See the abstract on Springer.

  • Tobacco Use and Nicotine Dependence among Conflict-Affected Men in the Republic of Georgia

    Article published on International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601

    by Bayard Roberts, Ivdity Chikovani, Nino Makhashvili, Vikram Patel and Martin McKee

    There is very little evidence globally on tobacco use and nicotine dependence among civilian populations affected by armed conflict, despite key vulnerability factors related to elevated mental disorders and socio-economic stressors.

    The study aim was to describe patterns of smoking and nicotine dependence among conflict-affected civilian men in the Republic of Georgia and associations with mental disorders.

    As research in populations free from conflict has shown that greater tobacco use and nicotine dependence are associated with both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and alcohol use, it might be expected that those exposed to conflict may be more vulnerable to heightened tobacco use. Indeed, there is increasing concern over chronic diseases among conflict-affected populations, including tobacco-related diseases. Yet despite this potential vulnerability for heightened tobacco use, there are very few studies on tobacco use among conflict-affected civilian populations and they are generally characterized by small sample sizes and limited analysis, with only a few examining associations between tobacco use and mental disorders or trauma exposure. Identified papers include those addressing: smoking patterns of 989 Kurdish youth in Iraq; antismoking messages and current cigarette smoking status among 1,122 youth in Somaliland; current smoking and smoking cessation rates among 740 elderly people (including refugees) in Beirut, Lebanon; variances in smoking rates between 32 adolescent IDPs with 528 non-IDPs adolescents in Belgrade, Serbia; links between subjective threat of armed conflict and psychosocial outcomes (including cigarette smoking) among 24,935 conflict-affected Israeli and Palestinian youth; tobacco use among 194 immigrant and refugee youth in British Columbia, Canada; and smoking patterns, nicotine dependence and correlations with PTSD among 66 Bosnian refugees in a primary care setting in the United States.

    Better understanding of patterns and determinants of smoking is a first step in strengthening tobacco control, tackling tobacco use and its effects and thus of improving the long-term health of conflict-affected populations. This paper takes advantage of data collected as part of a broader study on mental health among conflict-affected populations in Georgia to examine smoking and nicotine dependence among conflict-affected civilian men in the Republic of Georgia.

    See the full article.

  • HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among key populations- Study Findings Published

    HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among key populations were studied in Georgia in 2012. The Biomarker Behavioral Surveillance Surveys (Bio-BSS) were carried out among People Who Inject Drugs (PWIDs) in six major cities, among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in Tbilisi, Female Sex Workers (FSW) in Tbilisi and Batumi, and Prison inmates. Bio-BSSs are repeatedly carried out among key populations to monitor HIV epidemics, provide measurements of HIV risk behaviors, evaluate preventive interventions and generate evidence for policy-making.

    The studies were implemented by Curatio International Foundation; Public Union Bemoni; Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health – Tanadgoma; and the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health. The studies were implemented within the GFATM-funded project.

    You can read the full reports here:

    HIV risk and prevention behaviors among Prison Inmates in Georgia
    HIV risk and prevention behavior among Men who have Sex with Men in Tbilisi, Georgia
    HIV risk and prevention behaviors among People Who Inject Drugs in six cities of Georgia
    HIV risk and prevention behavior among Female Sex Workers in two cities of Georgia
    Survey of Barriers to HIV Testing Among Intravenuous Drug Users in Georgia

  • Think Tanks Signed an Ethical and Quality Standards Document

    On May 21, Curatio International Foundation together with fifteen Georgian Think Tanks signed an Ethical and Quality Standards Document. The document presents comprehensive standards to guide the work of Georgian think tanks and establishes principles to ensure that the think tanks meet the highest possible professional standards. The ethical code covers organizational themes such as transparency, accountability and governance, while the quality standards focuses on research, analysis, and advocacy processes.

    EWMI G-PAC assisted Georgian think tanks in developing these standards, using similar documents from the US and Central and Eastern Europe as guidelines. Policy research experts from Arizona State University in the US reviewed the draft standards and provided feedback. Over months of discussion, and with great attention from the Georgian policy research environment, the Georgian think tanks developed, finalized, and adopted these standards.

    By signing up to follow those standards, the Georgian Think Tanks have self-imposed principles of excellence and have taken responsibility for following the highest possible standards to guide them through their work. The standards will ultimately raise the profile of Georgian think tanks among the public, as well as enhance the credibility and quality of the policy research.

  • Hosting interns from international universities

    In the framework of its internship program, during the first months of 2012 winter, Curatio International Foundation hosted two interns Lucia Callizo from Macalester college in Minnesota and Laura Covarrubias from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    Interns made useful contribution to CIF ongoing research projects.

    As interns say, their experience at the Curatio International Foundation will help them foster their careers in international public health research.

    Here is the video where Laura and Lucia share their experience over their internship opportunities at CIF:

    About Lucia Callizo

    Lucia is from Paraguay. Currently, she studies at Macalester College in Minnesota, where she is majoring in international studies with a focus in international development. Professionally, she is interested in public health and trying to decide whether to pursue a MPH or go to medical school. Reproductive and child and maternal health are the subfields she would like to explore.
    Working on Cost of introducing vaccine in Moldova.

    About Laura Covarrubias

    Laura is a Master’s of Science in Public Health Candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
    School of Public Health, where she focuses her studies on reproductive, perinatal, and women’s health.

    She previously served as the Marcy Gross Intern for the National Research Center for Women and
    Families, where she was responsible for the organization’s public policy efforts to reduce violence
    against women. Prior to her research at the Curatio International Foundation on HIV risk behaviors
    among injection drug users in Georgia, Laura contributed to a forthcoming research paper on the
    screening practices for teen dating violence in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Laura graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in
    Sociology and Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film.

  • Hosting interns from international universities

    In the framework of its internship program, during the first months of 2012 winter, Curatio International Foundation hosted two interns Lucia Callizo from Macalester college in Minnesota and Laura Covarrubias from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    Interns made useful contribution to CIF ongoing research projects.

    As interns say, their experience at the Curatio International Foundation will help them foster their careers in international public health research.

    Here is the video where Laura and Lucia share their experience over their internship opportunities at CIF:

     

    About Lucia Callizo

    Lucia is from Paraguay. Currently, she studies at Macalester College in Minnesota, where she is majoring in international studies with a focus in international development. Professionally, she is interested in public health and trying to decide whether to pursue a MPH or go to medical school. Reproductive and child and maternal health are the subfields she would like to explore.
    Working on Cost of introducing vaccine in Moldova.

    About Laura Covarrubias

    Laura is a Master’s of Science in Public Health Candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
    School of Public Health, where she focuses her studies on reproductive, perinatal, and women’s health.

    She previously served as the Marcy Gross Intern for the National Research Center for Women and
    Families, where she was responsible for the organization’s public policy efforts to reduce violence
    against women. Prior to her research at the Curatio International Foundation on HIV risk behaviors
    among injection drug users in Georgia, Laura contributed to a forthcoming research paper on the
    screening practices for teen dating violence in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Laura graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in
    Sociology and Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film.

  • CIF’s contribution to Investing in Global Health and Development

    Since the creation of the Global Fund, the world’s financing instrument in the fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria the role of private foundations has significantly increased in contributing to funding, participation in its governance and to the strategy of the organization.

    The Global Fund partners with non-governmental organizations, Foundations and private companies in four major areas: Contributor of Resources, Grant Implementer, Advocacy and Services, and Pro Bono Goods and Services. Curatio International Foundation (CIF) is the key partner listed among large business organizations such as Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), Anglogold Ashanti, Shell Foundation, Oil Search Limited etc.

    In order to assess the role they play in development aid, particularly in the field of health, Friends of the Global Fund Europe organized a conference bringing together European and American foundations to share experiences and perspectives on global health issues and how they could build effective partnerships with the Global Fund. The event took place on December 12, 2012 in Paris, France.

    The conference was a golden opportunity for participants to meet with representatives of European and American foundations involved in global health. The event was welcomed and leaded by high level guests such as Executives from world’s leading foundations, large businesses and the government.

    The conference agenda focused on three topics:

    – What is the contribution of foundations to health and development?
    – Can European foundations do more in global health and how?
    – How can European foundations build effective partnerships with the Global Fund ?

    George Gotsadze, Director of Curatio International Foundation made the presentation on the role of CIF in implementing Global- fund funded programs.

  • CIF Fellow Awards Event

    On December 25, Curatio International Foundation will award its 3rd winner of CIF Scholarship program 2012-2013. The Winner is Ana Kasradze, Master students of Public Health Management from Tbilisi State Medical University.

    The awards ceremony will take place at Tbilisi State Medical University, Administration Building, Room: 417.

    CIF and the university management will greet gathered students and guests and will hand special award to Ana Kasradze.

    Curatio International Foundation

  • Assessing the Health Insurance for the Poor in Georgia

    During the last two decades Government of Georgia initiated series of reforms introducing major changes in health financing policy and restructuring the health system to reverse the negative trends observed in equity, affordability and quality of essential health service for significant part of the country population and particularly for the poor.

    Addressing problems in equity and financial protection against health care costs through re attainment of universal coverage for essential health care services for the entire population was one of the longstanding and explicitly stated national health policy goals.

    Affordability of health care services is one of the most critical issues for Georgia’s health sector. The matter is among top five most important national issues for a large part of the Georgian population. Medical Insurance for the Poor (MIP), a public program initiated in 2007, provides private insurance coverage to one fifth of the Georgian population and is aimed to protect its beneficiaries from financial hardship and impoverishment that may be caused by health care expenditures.

    The study implemented by the Curatio International Foundation with the support from the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research/World Health Organization assesses the impact of Medical Health Insurance (MIP) for the Poor on equity in access to essential health care services and financial protection against health care costs for the poor and general population.

    The first phase of the study was published in May 2011. The document briefly describes identified accomplishments and shortcomings of the public private partnership in realization of medical insurance for the poor and discusses emerging policy options and policy recommendations on the future of MIP.

    The second part of the study aimed to assess the overall impact of medical insurance for the poor. The resulting document also reviews steps undertaken by the government in the design and implementation of the insurance program: the way the benefit package was designed, institutional and purchasing arrangements. It also describes the role of high level actors in MIP formulation and implementation, their influence, nature of interest and perceived position on possible future MIP expansion.

    View full documents:

    Policy Brief-Medical Insurance for the Poor: impact on access and affordability of health services in Georgia

    Policy Brief- Health Insurance for the Poor in Georgia, Content, Process and Actors

    Full Study Report- Health Insurance for Poor: Georgia’s Path to Universal Coverage

     

  • Curatio International Foundation Among Grant Management Solutions Awarded Partners

    Grant Management Solutions 2 Awarded to MSH Partnership: Up to Five More Years of Technical Support to Grantees of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

    Cambridge, MA, October 16, 2012– Management Sciences for Health (MSH) takes pride in announcing that on September 30, 2012, it was awarded a contract by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue its project Grant Management Solutions (GMS) with 25 partners. The initial three-year term of the new contract may be extended up to an additional two years, and has a ceiling value of $99.9 million. GMS will continue to provide the same urgent short-term technical support services as it did in its first five-year contract and will also carry out two additional objectives.

    Executing its first objective GMS will support country coordinating mechanisms (CCMs) and principal recipients (PRs) in some 150 countries benefiting from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) to strengthen governance, unblock bottlenecks and systemic weaknesses limiting performance. Countries with grants from the Global Fund (except those the USG categorizes as “state sponsors of terrorism”) may request technical support; requests are reviewed by a multiagency panel led by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. GMS will continue to provide support through MSH and its 25 partners in the four areas of governance and leadership for CCMs; program management; organizational and financial management for PRs; procurement and supply management for pharmaceuticals and health commodities; monitoring of and reporting on grants.

    GMS’s second objective is to build capacity of regional consulting institutions and management consultants to increase local and regional capacity in financial and human resource management, and skills in Global Fund-related technical needs. To further GMS’s second mission, MSH’s six major partners will mentor a first wave of six regional partners; a second wave of six regional entities will be recruited in the new GMS’s second year.

    GMS’s third objective is to develop, document and transfer technical support tools and best practices in several languages to other Global Fund technical support agencies and stakeholders.

    GMS is based in Arlington, Virginia, and manages a network of consultants worldwide. The new GMS partnership comprises more than six times the number of entities in the first GMS. The partnership is led by MSH with its six major partners, Abt Associates, Futures Group, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, MIDEGO, Pact, and the Training Resources Group, Inc. The first wave of six regional partners includes ALMACO Management Consultants, in Kenya; Curatio International Foundation, in Georgia; OASYS Financial & Management Services, in Senegal; Q Partnership, in Zimbabwe; Technical Assistance Inc., in Bangladesh; and Sanigest Internacional, in Costa Rica. The GMS partnership of 25 includes another 13 regional and international subcontractors based around the globe.

    For more information about GMS and for technical support application forms, please see www.gmsproject.org. To request technical support, please contact Ms. Emily M. Hughes, Contract Officers Representative, USAID, at emhughes@usaid.gov or Ms. Christy Wahle, TSAP Chairperson, OGAC at wahleCS@state.gov.