The Team of BFPA Awarded by the National Network of Health Mediators

During November 7 to 9, 2024, experts from the team of BFPA actively participated in the XVI National Annual Meeting of the National Network of Health Mediators (NNHM) “Health and Prevention Initiative”. The meeting brought together over 300 health mediators (HMs), representatives of institutions, NGOs, medical specialists, partners and like-minded people.

During the three days, the mediators enjoyed a rich training program, delivered by leading lecturers and specialists in the field of vaccine prevention, early childhood development, rare diseases and national prevention programs. With a raffle of items made by the training team and health mediators, we were able to raise additional funds for scholarships for newly admitted Roma medical students.

For the first year, health mediators and their key partners were presented with annual awards – stylized copper wheels – in various categories at a special ceremony. One of the beautiful prizes went to the BFPA team.

A bit more about the competition: The awards for health mediators and like-minded people who contributed to the development of the profession in the period September 2023 – September 2024 were established in 2024. Awards in six categories showed the best practices in the work of health mediators. The submitted applications were impartially evaluated by an independent committee, in which the following participated: Iliya Tasev from the Ministry of Health, Lilyana Kovacheva – Roma activist and ethnologist, Radostina Chaprazova – Director of the Arete Foundation, Dr. Neli Maleshkova and Dr. Miroslav Angelov, cardiologist, former scholarship holder from the training program for Roma medical students. A total of 11 applications were submitted in the category for the most effective and cohesive team of health mediators and municipalities. The team of Burgas Municipality won. The team from Dobrich also received a special award. In the category “Best Team of HM and GP, AG or other medical specialist” seven nominations were submitted. First place was awarded to the team of HM Kazanlak and GP Dr. Bazara. A special award for general contribution to the development of the HM profession was received by HM from Aytos Mariana Zarbova. In the category for the most effective partnership of HM with a hospital, 3 nominations were received and the HM and the hospital in Samokov won, which piloted the HM model in a hospital and managed to conduct free preventive AG examinations and tests for the most vulnerable women in the community. In the category for the best teamwork between HM and a local institution, the partnership between the RHI and HM from Blagoevgrad district was awarded. The category for the most complex case of HM work was won by Ayten Nazmi – HM from Pazardzhik. All awarded HMs also received certificates of appreciation from the Ministry of Health

Thank you, dear friends! We are one big family. We move forward together.