Transcript Health Mediators in Roma Communities Romania Hanna Dobronauteanu, M.D.

Health Mediators in Roma
Communities
Hanna Dobronauteanu, M.D.
Project Manager
Romania
INTRODUCTION
THE MEDIATOR
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
Political Wish
Active
Roma Organizations
NATIONAL STRATEGY
HEALTH
HEALTH MEDIATORS IN ROMA COMMUNITIES
INTRODUCTION
Romani CRISS
1997
Ministry of Health
2001
NATIONAL SYSTEM
THE MEDIATOR
 Respected member of the community
 Communication channel
 Cross-cultural bridge
THE MEDIATOR
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR
 WOMAN
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
 Integrated in the National Program for the health
of child and family
 Selection of localities:
Ministerial Commission for Roma
• proposals: local health authorities & Roma civil society
 Training of the health mediators:
Institution - NGO partnership (“Romani CRISS”)
 114 Roma health mediators in 2002  174
starting with July 2003
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Arguments
 Active creation of profound changes
 Aims at the solution of public health
problems
 Cost/Benefit = Profitable
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Benefits
 Long term results of the health mediator
system /expected/
• Improvement of the health status of Roma
• Positive changes in the conception of the
population
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Benefits
 Short term results of the health mediator
system /observed/
• Health staff:
positive changes in the perception of the
Roma problem
• Roma organizations/communities:
increased wish to work and to participate in
the social building process
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Operating Terms
 Commitment of the Roma representatives
• in planning, implementation, evaluation
• central and local level
 Formal responsibility of the partners
•Example
Ministry of Health - two partnership agreements:
“The Party of the Roma”,“Romani CRISS”
 Declared respect for the Roma culture&tradition
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Operating Terms
 Offer of solutions for the problems of
• Roma people
• health system - central&local level
 Continuous monitoring
 Flexibility
THE HEALTH MEDIATOR SYSTEM
Strategy for overcoming obstacles
COLLABORATION
“PEOPLE
- not programs, plans, or technologies -
MAKE THE FINAL CHOICES
about what to do and how to do it.”
Bill Jensen