A mission of the Global Fund’s Local Fund Agents (LFA) took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the regional project “Sustainability of Services for Key Populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) – #iSoS: Empowering and Innovations”, also implemented across five countries of Eastern Europe, coordinated by Alliance for Public Health and financially supported by the Global Fund
Throughout the visit, the LFA team was accompanied by Damir Laličić, Executive Director of Partnerships in Health, Tarik Praso, iSoS project manager in SEE countries, and Ievgen Kushnir, Senior Program Manager at Alliance for Public Health.
Key Meetings in Sarajevo
In Sarajevo, the delegation held a technical meeting at the Ministry of Health of the Federation of BiH with Vedran Marčinko, Assistant Minister of Health. Discussions focused on national HIV priorities, the status of #iSoS–supported interventions, and opportunities to strengthen sustainability of key services.
The team also met with Rusmir Baljić, Director of the Infectious Disease Hospital in Sarajevo. Dr. Baljić reported that around 50 people in Sarajevo are currently receiving PrEP through private prescriptions and purchasing medication directly from pharmacies – an indication of growing awareness and demand.
Field Visit to Tuzla: Progress on PrEP Expansion
In Tuzla, the mission visited the Infectious Disease Clinic, meeting with Professor Jahić, Dr. Žepić, and Nurse Jovičić. The clinic launched its PrEP pilot in mid-2023, and 76 individuals are currently receiving PrEP.
Starting next year, PrEP will be fully guaranteed and financed through the national health programme, marking a major step toward sustainability and expanded access to HIV prevention services.
Advancing Sustainability of HIV Services
The #iSoS team and LFA mission provided an opportunity to assess progress, identify remaining gaps, and outline priority actions to strengthen the national HIV response and ensure long-term continuity of services in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We are encouraged to see the tangible progress achieved in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the #iSoS project. Strengthening the sustainability of HIV services, expanding access to PrEP, and securing government financing for prevention are critical milestones for the national response. This commitment to long-term solutions demonstrates that the country is firmly moving toward a resilient and inclusive public health system.”— Ievgen Kushnir, Senior Program Manager, Alliance for Public Health
