Implementation period: 1 April 2022 – 1 May 2024

Donor: Grand Challenges Canada – The OPTions Initiative

Project goal:

Conduct formative research to assess the feasibility of expanding the telemedicine MA service offered in Moldova to five other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and facilitate the implementation of the telemedicine MA service in one of the five target countries.

Project objectives:

1. Regional cooperation to support, raise awareness and develop capacity to provide abortion services through telemedicine in EECA countries.
2. To assess the feasibility of expanding telemedicine AOM service in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, following the model of Moldova;
3. Identify legislative, regulatory and service barriers that can help to develop an appropriate strategy to initiate MA via telemedicine services;
4. Increase access of women and girls in the EECA region to the highest quality abortion services in line with WHO recommendations

Project activities:

Phase 1: Conduct formative research in 5 EECA countries to assess the feasibility of scaling up the telemedicine AOM service following the Moldova model.

1. Data collection in 5 EECA countries to barriers in the provision of AHR services and the potential of providing AHR through telemedicine
2. Organise advocacy meetings for each of the 5 countries to disseminate formative research findings and develop country action plans for improving MA through telemedicine.

Phase 2. Implementation of MA service through telemedicine in one of the EECA countries:

1. Formalisation of agreements with partner organisations responsible for the implementation of the MA service
2. Organise training for staff who will be involved in the delivery of the MA service;
3. Creating an informative website for the telemedicine medical abortion service.
4. Develop protocols and data collection tools for pilot testing
5. Provide at least 50 women and girls in the target country with MA/PAC services via telemedicine by a qualified provider of safe abortion services
6. Organise a final stakeholder meeting to present preliminary results and discuss the action plan in the region.