On November 28 – December 2, 2016 the study tour was held to learn the experience of Lithuania in ensuring of financially stable medication assisted treatment (hereinafter – MAT), methods and models of organization and realization of MAT program aiming to advocate its further development in Ukraine as well as implementation of new approaches and MAT models that will improve the sustainability and quality of MAT program in general.
The study tour was conducted within the ‘Improved Quality and Sustainability of Medication Assisted Treatment in Ukraine’ Project that is implemented by the ICF ‘Alliance for Public Health’ with the financial support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Representatives of leading governmental institutions of Ukraine, involved in the implementation of MAT, in particular Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the SI ‘Center for Public Health’, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine for Drugs Control, and employees of the ICF ‘Alliance for Public Health’ participated.
During the study tour representatives of Ukraine learned about the organization of the national healthcare system with a focus on the experience of Lithuania on the development of public health, the forming of the national strategy on treatment of drug addiction, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, studied the organization, regulation and monitoring of MAT as well as provision of psychosocial support to MAT patients. Delegates visited the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania; the Center of infection disease and AIDS; the Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Department; Corrections Department at the Ministry of Justice; the Police Department; the Vilnius Center for Addiction Diseases; the State Center for Mental Health; the Centro polyclinic; the Society of social and psychological rehabilitation. Gained knowledge on MAT program implementation, as Lithuanian best practices in the context of ensuring its sustainability and quality improvement, will be used in Ukraine. Well-established partnerships will ensure cooperation and exchange of experience on MAT program development in future.
