About us

Name of Organization: Association of treated and ill with hepatitis “Hepatos Rijeka“

Short name: “Hepatos Rijeka“

Bank account number and Bank name: 2402006 - 1100559315 - Erste & Steiermarkische Bank

Name and surname of the President of the Association : Aleksandra Marković , graduated theologyst

Name and surname of the Vicepresident of the Association Renato Prnjak

Association „Hepatos Rijeka" is an independent and nongovernmental organization. It was formally established on inaugural meeting on 28.08.2009 with the primary objective of providing assistance to those ill with hepatitis and HIV. It is the only, so far, in the Primorsko-goranska County, whose target groups are primarily infected with hepatitis and HIV and their families

1. ASSEMBLY
2. EXECUTIVE BOARD 
3. SUPERVISORY BOARD 
4. PRESIDENT 
5. VICEPRESIDENT

OBJECTIVES OF ACTION

Objectives of action according to statute are: to prevent the development and spread of the disease, to reduce discrimination against people living with hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and risk behavior groups, to promote better lifestyle, to improve and protect social rights of people living with hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, their families and social environment and marginalized groups of risky behavior.

The objectives are achieved, among other things, through the following principal activities:

- Counselling and psychosocial support patients treated and ill with hepatitis and HIV, their families and social environment

- Counselling and psychosocial support to people of risky behavior (drug experimenters, drug addicts, prisoners, sex workers, LGBT population, migrants, etc..)

- Improving and developing social and health prevention programs intended for children, youth, adults and marginalized groups of risky behavior

- Promoting understanding of the problem and tolerance for ill people, the protection of human, civil, social, health, labor and other rights of socially vulnerable and ill people, and developing antidiscriminative practices

MISSION

Hepatos Rijeka has a role to inform, educate, publicly advocate and provide expert advice and psychological support.

Values that Hepatos Rijeka advocates are: proactivity in the community, respect for diversity, professionalism, dedication, responsibility, teamwork, efficiency, collaboration, networking, humanity, transparency.

VISION

Hepatos Rijeka will follow its core values; contribute to the development of a more humane and more educated society without prejudice and stigmatization.

PROGRAMS

1. HEPATITIS AND MY HOME – LIFE WITHOUT STIGMA
2. RIVER OF HEALTH
3. LUCY'S STORY

COOPERATION

Associates:

M.A. Đana Pahor, MD., MD., spec.epidemiologist, Teaching Institute for Public Health

Ph.D. Davor Štimac, MD., spec. gastroenterologist, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Clinic for Internal Medicine, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka

Prof. Sandra Milić, MD., spec. gastroenterologist, Head of Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, Clinic for Internal Medicine, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka

Ph.D. Biserka Trošelj Vukić, MD., spec.infectologist, Head of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and febrile conditions, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka

Ph.D. Ivica Pavic, MD., spec.infectologist, Deputy head of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and febrile conditions, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka.

Association Hepatos Rijeka have established very good cooperation with the Department of Prevention and outpatient addiction treatment and protection of mental health of Institute for public Health of Primorsko-goranska County, Head Karmen Jureško, M.D. specialist of psychiatry, prof. Darko Roviš, psychologist, Head of Department of prevention of addiction , and the Department for school and university medicine, Head M.A. Jagoda Dabo, of the same Institute., with whom we often participate in joint actions, as well as other related organizations at the local and national level
Association Hepatos Rijeka have also established very good cooperation with the District prison in Rijeka.

MEMBERSHIP

Association Hepatos Rijeka is:

- Member of the “League of patients ill with hepatitis of Republic of Croatia “.(since 2009).
- Member of the “Interest group of citizens "Rijeka - Healthy City" “ (since 2010).
- Member of the “World Hepatitis Alliance “ (WHA) as a second Association in Croatia. (since 2011)
- Member of the “Eurasian Harm Reduction Network“(since 2011).
- Approaching member of the “European Liver Patients Association“(ELPA) (since 2012).

{C}{C}WORK WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES

From September 2010., in collaboration with Institute for Public Health of Primorsko-goranska County (Epidemiological and Microbiological Department ), we regularly, once a week, provide service of voluntary, free and anonymous testing for hepatitis B, C and HIV, and consultations with a specialist epidemiologist for our clients at the premises of the Association, as well as free counseling via telephone help line 0800 400405.
We are one of two Associations in Croatia that offer such a service to its clients (at our premises) as a Center for voluntary, anonymous and free counseling and HIV testing as part of the Ministry of Health program, "Work of Centers for voluntary, anonymous and free counseling and testing for HIV "as part of the National Program for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS.
By implementation of informative, educational and preventive activities through psycho-social support to prisoners in the District Prison in Rijeka we correspond with the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Prevention of Drug Abuse of the Republic of Croatia.

DONORS

- Ministry of Health of Republic of Croatia
- Primorsko-goranska County
- City of Rijeka
- National Foundation for Civil Society Development
- City of Opatija
- City of Kastav
- The Swiss Embassy

- Citizens
- Individual donations from profit sector