BOOST Project - BOOST access and quality of community-based communicable disease services for PWUD in the EU and neighbouring countries

ended

The HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis epidemics pose a burden to public health in Europe and disproportionately affect people who use drugs (PWUD) and other vulnerable populations that lack access to health services. Addressing these epidemics among PWUD will improve the health of affected communities and public health in Europe in general. The BOOST project is relevant to the general objective of the EU4Health and to the specific objective of this call, by strengthening community-based service organisations in implementing harm reduction interventions. The main aim of the BOOST project is to enhance the implementation of high-quality community-based communicable disease services as part of a comprehensive, people-centred and integrated harm reduction approach in four key areas: - INFORM: collection of information and data on community-based services for PWUD - IMPROVE: organisation of capacity building in the field of communicable disease - SUPPORT: enhancing scale-up of integrated community-based good practices - CONNECT&ACT: consolidating PWUD networks and fostering advocacy interventions At the core of the BOOST project are three European harm reduction networks with support of the European Network of People who Use Drugs – as the involvement of and cooperation with affected communities is a core and vital element of this application. This ensures a wide range of experience, access different risk populations, covering all EU MS and neighbouring regions. Professionals will engage in data collection, exchange, capacity building, mutual coaching and learning and implementation of good practice models. The BOOST project will provide data on the availability and quality of communicable disease services for PWUD, more community-based organisations will provide access to these services, capacities of service providers will be improved and the results of the project will be disseminated and advocated among a wide range of stakeholders.