EPF Capacity Building Programme: Slovakia

EPF are pleased to announce the imminent launch of the third phase of our Capacity Building Programme in Slovakia.

Launched in 2012, the EPF Capacity Building Programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of both national and European level patient organisations. Romania and Hungary joined the programme in late 2012 with Bulgaria and Hungary following suit one year after, and Poland joining the programme earlier on this year (link to last month’s issue). Targeted activities aimed at building the capacity of our member in Cyprus, the Pan-Cyprian Federation of Patients Associations and Friends, were carried out in 2014-2015.

Slovakia joined the programme in late 2013 with two training modules having been implemented ever since, the first one on needs assessment and strategic planning (2014), and the second one or fundraising (2015-2016). 

The third module follows up and builds up on the previous ones to focus on presentation and negotiation skills, advocacy and campaigning as well as media relations. 15 to 18 patient organisations are expected to participate in this training module. This new module is also marked by a strengthened cooperation with our local member in the Slovak republic, the Association for the Protection of Patients Right AOPP, as not only will they continue to play a leading role in coordinating the participation of the various disease-specific patient groups in the programme, but they will also be more actively involved in the design and delivery of the programme.

The collaboration with AOPP will also enable EPF to build closer synergies between the Capacity Building programme and the recently established EUPATI Slovak National Platform led by the Association for patients’ rights protection in Slovakia (AOPP) in collaboration with the Slovak Medical University in Bratislava (SMU), ISPOR Slovakia, Bayer and Chiesi.

The EPF Capacity Building Programme is funded by unrestricted grants from different pharmaceutical companies who are committed to supporting the empowerment of the patient community across Europe by strengthening the capacity of patient organisations. In Slovakia we have reached an agreement with the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies (AIFP) who will provide an unrestricted financial contribution to cover part of the  costs of the programme.

Contact: Walter Atzori, Director of Programmes and Operations.