The Foundation has allocated significant funds to increase the awareness of population as diagnostics and preventive measures mean also active participation of the populations. Almost all available information sources were used. Many national TV channels and radios broadcasted the social advertising and it could also be seen on billboards and external advertising carriers in all major cities of Ukraine Since the project start-up the hot line (telephone 8-800-503-0-800) has been set up to provide fast and competent answers to all the questions connected with TB. Daily the operators deal with at least 10 inquiries. The calls come from all over Ukraine and citizens of all Oblasts apply for help and consultations. Many periodical editions and some journalists joined the information campaign. To increase the level of awareness the Foundation held seminars-trainings and journalistic publication contests. Overall 212 publications from 56 editions participated in the contest. In October 2007 39 journalists from different parts of Ukraine attended the seminar held on the contest results in Yalta. The information campaign also included different voluntary actions and visits to penitentiary institutions. Usual Ukrainians did not stand aside in a fight against the problem. The campaign was launched to collect funds and donations. Overall, UAH 70,000 was collected in 5 Oblasts of Ukraine for social needs of anti-TB institutions. The volume of investments allocated for project implementation in 2007 amounted to UAH 5,370,851.52.

Igor Pokanevich — Director of the WHO Office in Ukraine.
“The project goal is quite ambitions. However, it can be attained considering the approaches and work organization of the Foundation. The model formed within the framework of the project can serve as a model of TB combating system to be implemented all over Ukraine. In one year alone we have received impressive results in terms of decrease in mortality and sickness rates. Due to consistent efforts in this area we can expect continuing improvement with TB situation in Donetsk Oblast within the next several years. The resources invested by the Foundation into the project give an opportunity to remove the gap between general volume of available resources and the resource required for efficient combat against TB”.

Svetlana Cherenko — Doctor of Medical Science, Deputy Head of Phthisiology Department of National Institute of Phthisiology and pulmonology named after F.G. Yanovskiy.
“I believe that the Foundation’s efforts aimed at TB combating are very important for Ukraine as this is the only non-governmental organization, which can provide financial and technical support when carrying out the actions specified by the General State Program on TB combating. The most important component is the project on improvement of TB legal base as this is the first step the country should take to overcome TB epidemic in Ukraine. It is also important to support applied TB scientific research studies as it is widely known that there is not enough state financing for medical scientific projects. It is impossible to assess the efficiency of the takes measures on TB diagnostics and treatment and it is impossible to develop new methodologies without scientific research studies.”

Olga Bilogortseva — Doctor of Medical Science, Senior Research Fellow of the National Institute of Phthisiology and pulmonology named after F.G. Yanovskiy, Chief Freelance Specialist of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine, speciality “Children’s Phthisiology”.
I believe that all areas of activity of the Foundation are important, perspective and vital. As a children’s phthisiatrician I would like to note that the Foundation has selected a very important area in healthcare – combating TB in Ukraine. The Foundation is the first Ukrainian non-governmental organization, which started paying attention to important medical projects aimed at improving TB children assistance system. First of all I am talking about creation of the Center of TB Children Medical Psychological and Social Rehabilitation as well as about support of up-to-date technologies for detecting TB children. Fruitful cooperation of the Foundation with leading anti-TB companies allows to make weighted decisions on the most important areas of activity and implement the results of work into healthcare system. The activity of the Foundation is fully supported by the medical community and scientific employees of the country”.