Five-year regional program "On combating tuberculosis epidemic in Donetsk Oblast for 2007 - 2011" initiated by the Foundation for Development of Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast Council and Donetsk Regional State Administration has been launches in Donetsk Oblast.
 
This regional program contemplates series of measures for TB prevention, diagnostics and treatment as well as for distributing information promoting healthy lifestyle among population.
 
This program against TB in Donetsk Oblast was presented to the public within the framework of the national project of the Foundation for Development of Ukraine and the Memorandum "Ukraine without Tuberculosis" on cooperation between the general public, authorities and businesses in combating TB. The initiators of the regional program were the first to join the Memorandum.
 
"Regional program is a significant part of the national project "Stop Tuberculosis". We are confident that the program will be a success in Donetsk Oblast and further will be followed by other regions. The Memorandum will become a force consolidating efforts of every party willing to join the fight against TB," Anatoliy Zabolotny, Director of the Foundation for Development of Ukraine, stated. 
 
The regional program will be funded by the Foundation (some UAH 50 million), the Oblast budget (some UAH 50 million) and local budgets of Donetsk Oblast (some UAH 17 million)
 
"Foundation for Development of Ukraine has come forward with a very important initiative allowing consolidation of all efforts against TB. I am confident that this Memorandum will be joined by all local authorities. On our part we will do our best to solve the problem of tuberculosis in Ukraine within the time constraints set by the program," Anatoliy Bliznyuk, the Chairman of Donetsk Oblast Council, emphasized.
 
Presentation of the program was preceded by multi-month toilsome work of the group of specialist including international experts, health care specialists, and the Foundation's specialists. The work resulted in development of a series of steps, with the first ones to be taken as early as this summer. 
 
"Today we have a good opportunity to stop the epidemic. It's quite clear that it can be done quickly and effectively by our consolidated efforts only. That is why we are looking to the nationwide support and understanding. That is why I'd like to express appreciation to those people who for the first time in Ukraine contributed to consolidation of efforts of authorities and businesses in combating the tuberculosis epidemic," Vladimir Logvinenko, the Chairman of Donetsk Regional State Administration, stated.
 
All stakeholders including businesses, enterprises, public organizations and citizens of Donetsk Oblast are supposed to join the program.