FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 7, 1997

Health Alliance/USAID Seek US Health Care Institutions and Systems for
Partnership Projects in the Russian Federation

WASHINGTON, DC  -- The American International Health Alliance, Inc. (AIHA)
and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announce
the planned expansion of their health care partnership program with up to
three new short-term partnerships in the Russian Federation.  AIHA is
soliciting expressions of interest from qualified US health care
institutions and systems willing to devote substantial in-kind resources,
mainly in the form of human resources committed on a voluntary basis, to a
one-year partnership project with counterparts in the Russian Federation.
US institutions and systems to be considered will be those which have
already-existing programs with Russian counterpart institutions and which
have demonstrated a clear commitment and capacity to develop a health care
improvement project at the institutional or system level for which
supplementary funding is critical to achieve effective completion.  In
addition, the US partners should be prepared at the end of one year to
document and disseminate significant outcomes from the implementation of the
partnership project.

The new health care partnerships will be part of an ongoing health care
development program financed through USAID and managed by AIHA which
includes forty partnerships in eleven republics of the New Independent
States (NIS) and in nine countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
AIHA partnerships have enabled American health care providers to work with
their colleagues abroad to address significant mortality and morbidity
issues, improve health care organizations and introduce market-oriented
solutions to health system delivery problems.  The partnership program
emphasizes professional exchanges involving physicians, nurses,
administrators and technicians.  AIHA partnerships also collaborate with
related ministries of health, local and regional health systems
administrations, and schools of health sciences to ensure that critical
areas of health education and administration are adequately addressed at
these higher institutional levels, and that the capacity to carry out other
developmental assistance efforts is enhanced.

The funding cycle for these new partnership projects will be for one year,
beginning approximately September 1, 1997 through August 31, 1998.  Funding
will be established and monitored against a clearly defined workplan
directed toward a significant improvement in health care services management
or organization.  Proposed projects should facilitate a health care delivery
system which emphasizes cost-effective and efficient integration of
ambulatory and inpatient care within the broad context of public health.
The workplan must reflect strong collaboration and mutually agreed upon
objectives and strategies between the US and Russian partners.

AIHA/USAID funding supplements the voluntary and in-kind contributions of
the partners and their respective communities in the US and abroad.
Existing AIHA partnerships have leveraged nearly three dollars for every US
government dollar expended.  AIHA/USAID funds mainly support travel and
other costs essential in establishing and realizing the full potential of
each partnership's  specific project.  Awards under this program are not
expected to exceed $50,000 each. AIHA staff in Washington, DC and in the
Russian Federation will provide logistical support and assist in monitoring
the progress of the partnerships.

Interested US partners must have the willingness and capacity to meet the
specific health care delivery needs described above, and must satisfy the
following criteria:

-- Be institution-based -- e.g., a hospital or group of hospitals, schools
of health professions, a managed cared organization or other consortia of
health care providers.  If a group of institutions is involved, a lead
institution must be designated;

-- Be supported by the institution's senior leadership and Board and clearly
identify an overall partnership coordinator;

-- Make substantial voluntary commitment to the partnership through a
significant contribution of resources, including human resources;

-- Actively involve the local community served by the US partners, including
any significant emigre community that may be present;

-- Share information openly and participate fully in AIHA's efforts to
exchange information with other US/NIS and US/CEE partnerships through the
AIHA Partnership Clearinghouse and dissemination conferences and seminars;

-- Adhere to AIHA's rigorous objective-setting and results-oriented
approach, including:

        (a)     Enter into a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and work
within
the overall coordination and guidance of AIHA and its designated program
coordinator;

        (b)     Develop demonstration-type interventions with significant training
components and capacity for replication;

        (c)     Establish mechanisms (such as training programs and conferences)
for the diffusion of partnership successes; and

        (d)     Participate in regular program evaluations to assess
partnership progress
and achievements.

Health care institutions and systems wishing to be considered for
participation in the new one-year Russian partnership projects should
submit proposals (15 pages maximum) by August 1, 1997 describing their
proposed project, projected outcomes, relevance as a model and potential for
replication, and detailing their interest and ability to carry out the
proposed project under the AIHA model.  The statement should describe the
institution=s or system=s  prior and current commitments to their Russian
counterparts, its commitment to the partnership program, the human and
material resources it will devote to the proposed project, and specific
strengths of both the institution and its Russian partner.  Working with
USAID, AIHA will select the institution or groups of institutions which best
fulfill the criteria listed above and offer the greatest potential for a
successful project.

Statements should be directed to:

Mr. Donald W. Harbick
Director for NIS Programs
American International Health Alliance, Inc.
1212 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC   20005

For additional information, please contact Mr. Harbick.  Telephone: (202)
789-1136,
Facsimile: (202) 789-1277, E-Mail: [log in to unmask]

 #  #  #