Healthy Life Project, Phase III: Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases in the Republic of Moldova

Project Abstract

Background

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Like many countries, the Republic of Moldova faces a growing NCD mortality and morbidity burden: more than half of the population suffers from non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, digestive diseases and diabetes.
Based on an agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the “Healthy Life project: Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases in Moldova” which is implemented by Swiss TPH, is now in its third and final phase. In this phase, the project is focused on ensuring sustainability and that the interventions and innovations are embedded in national policies, institutional plans and budgets, as the project withdraws.

Objectives and Aim
The overall goal is to improve the health status of the Moldovan population, especially in rural areas, through the reduction of the burden of NCDs.

The project outcomes are:

Outcome 1: National health institutions promote WHO best buys and work in an evidence-based, cross-sectoral manner to enhance health literacy of the population.

Outcome 2: Quality integrated services, underpinned by regulations and education of service providers, improve the prevention and management of NCDs.

Outcome 3: People take responsibility for their own health, demand their rights, and hold decision-makers to account for reaching even the most vulnerable NCD patients.

Methods/Approaches

The Healthy Life Project supports the Moldavian Ministry of Health (MoH), as well as the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the National Agency for Public Health to implement the national reform agenda, especially in the areas of Primary Health Care, Integrated Care, Community Nursing and Health Promotion. In its final phase, the project is consolidating national, local, and community-level efforts for example by working with MoH on the WHO “Best Buys,” advancing health literacy, and strengthening multisectoral leadership for NCD prevention. Efforts focus on enhancing the quality of primary health care (PHC), including through the uptake of WHO PEN protocols, capacity strengthening of facility managers, and stronger collaboration between health and social services. At the community level, local authorities and civil society are empowered to lead health promotion and education initiatives. Evidence-based tools like the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) are being handed over to national actors, boosting patient autonomy and community resilience. The main implementing principles include: to foster the strong national ownership that developed in the project so far so that it can successfully exit; to place the community at the centre of the intervention logic; consolidate improvements in the quality of primary services; continue the handover process to local authorities with regards to local service provision; transition local health action plans to be implemented sustainably.

Results

The Healthy Life Project is supporting the National institutions to implement the national NCD Strategy and Action Plan and to sustainably strengthen NCD prevention and control.
Leading effective national health communication campaigns to improve population health literacy.
Promoting health behavioural change through targeted life-course specific community interventions
Advancing progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage through financial protection measures, such as the use of low-cost generics
Institutionalizing communication channels between community-level initiatives and national policy-making.
Consolidating the Community Integrated Care model by strengthening the regulatory basis and financing of these services to foster sustainable collaboration between health and social sectors.
Strengthening capacities of family doctors, nurses and community medical assistants in prevention, monitoring, and patient education.
Promoting the integration of WHO PEN protocols into training curricula and continuous medical education.
Facilitating quality management systems in PHC and strengthening provider-patient interactions to improve treatment adherence and reduce unnecessary referrals.
Expanding and transitioning the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) to national actors, empowering patients and caregivers to manage conditions and use health services more effectively.
Target Groups

Family doctors, medical assistants and community nurses, social workers
National Agency for Public Health and Rayon Centres for Public Health
Local Public Authorities, Mayors and their multidisciplinary teams from selected communities
General population at risk of NCDs, NCD Patients and community members