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Texas Children's Global Health Baylor Black Sea Foundation
Romania is the location of the first NGO in the Network and opened the first Centre of Excellence in 2001. Fundatia Baylor Marea Neagra (Baylor Black Sea Foundation, also referred to as Fundatia Baylor Romania) serves the oldest patient population in the Network, and continues to focus on successful methods for transitioning HIV+ adolescents to adult care and meeting the health needs of its patients and their families. Sustaining funding for the Clinical Center of Excellence in Constanța has been provided by Abbott Fund, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and AbbVie Foundation.
In 2007 the Foundation began providing other health services concurrently with HIV treatment, namely, dentistry, gynecology and tuberculosis treatment. In 2009, the mission was further widened to include medical services for other infectious diseases with similar transmission and risk factors, such as hepatitis B and C. In addition, the Centre of Excellence offers cardiology and family planning services. Psychosocial support plays a major role in the Foundation’s services, as well as the prevention of medical discrimination by accompanying and representing its patients to other local services when necessary.
Fundatia Baylor Romania has also transitioned Flower House, once home to HIV+ orphans, into a residence for homeless young adults where they can learn independent living skills in a safe environment, while working or attending school.
At a Glance
LOCATION:
FOUNDED:
BUDGET (USD):
EMPLOYEES:
PATIENTS:
PROFESSIONALS TRAINED:
CONSTANTA, ROMANIA
2001
873,790
39
9,613
222
Notable Programs
Screening For Infectious Diseases
The general population voluntary testing program started in 2007 for HIV. Three years later, we added another two testing components, for viral hepatitis B and C. The program is run in three testing centers, two in Constanţa and one in Tulcea, plus a mobile testing laboratory that allows the testing teams to visit remote locations. In 2019, we tested 7,798 people in the general population in the Dobrogea region (Constanța and Tulcea counties) at no cost to them.
Caring For People Living With HIV/AIDS
Over the years, Fundatia Baylor Romania has adjusted the free-of-charge medical and psycho- social services it provides in order to meet the needs of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in the community. PLWHA under long-term care at the Foundation receive a variety of medical services and psychosocial support.
Long-term Care For Hepatitis
The general population voluntary testing program started in 2007 for HIV. Three years later, we added another two testing componentaWe transferred the PLWHA multidisciplinary care model to people living with viral hepatitis. Currently, we are the only center in Romania offering this kind of complex care. Hepatitis patients under long-term care at Fundatia Baylor Romania are provided the following services:
- Assessment of lifestyle-associated risk factors
- Support services for self-care skills development
- Public health system navigation services
- Medical analysis not covered by medical insurance
- Information on the rights and benefits of people with chronic diseases under Romanian law s, for viral hepatitis B and C. The program is run in three testing centers, two in Constanţa and one in Tulcea, plus a mobile testing laboratory that allows the testing teams to visit remote locations. In 2019, we tested 7,798 people in the general population in the Dobrogea region (Constanța and Tulcea counties) at no cost to them.
Pre-diabetes Screening For HEP-HIV Patients
Caring for patients with chronic infections means adjusting and developing programs to better meet their needs and improve their quality of life. We are aware of the high risk of co-morbidities in people living with HIV, VHB, and/or VHC infections. Fundatia Baylor Romania’s complex care model is designed to increase quality of life, and screening for diabetes is another step in this direction. We hope this new component of the long-term care program will become, with proper resources, a self-standing screening service for the general population in the communities where we operate our three voluntary counseling and testing centers.
Patient Story
The Story of a Journey of One Hepatitis Patient with Fundatia Baylor Romania
The new interferon free hepatitis C treatment has dramatically changed the lives of people living with hepatitis C because it offers the hope of a quick cure. But how easy is to access treatment and what happens after the treatment is over? How often are the patients supposed to see their physician and why? How important is to have a healthy lifestyle? Fundatia Baylor Romania provides answers to these questions for our beneficiaries.
One patient in our care is now a 73-year-old male. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2012, when he was 67, through the Baylor infectious diseases screening service. Because of his age he was not eligible for the interferon treatment, the only one available at that time. He enrolled himself for monitoring in the care and support program for patients with chronic hepatitis. However, he became eligible for the new interferon free treatment in 2016, when patients with stage 4 fibrosis were, finally, included in the national treatment program.
Enrolled in treatment in September 2017 at 71 years old, he was adherent and had a good evolution, closely following the lifestyle recommendations. The patient obtained sustained virologic response in March 2018. He received financial help from Fundatia Baylor Romania for the evaluation lab tests that are not included in the medical insurance. For both treatment and follow up, the patient travelled constantly to Bucharest because the attending physician transferred to Bucharest after the man began treatment. After the end of the treatment, the patient continued to be part of the Fundatia Baylor Romania follow-up program, which reminds patients about their doctor visits and lifestyle recommendations. He understood that the effects the virus had on the liver remained and that close medical monitoring is mandatory even after the end of a successful treatment.
The mandatory follow-up period for HCV patients is up to three months after treatment completion. Our patient’s follow-up plan included medical evaluations at six months in the first year and once a year from the second year. At his 2019 medical evaluation, he was diagnosed with hepatocarcinoma, a form of liver cancer. The patient went through surgery to have his liver nodules removed. He is now recovering at home with support from his family and from Fundatia Baylor Romania staff. He credits Fundatia Baylor Romania for his quick diagnosis: He understood the importance of his doctor’s follow-up plan and stuck with it.
Leadership & Partnerships
Leadership
Ana-Maria Schweitzer
Executive Director
Partnerships
- Abbvie Foundation
- Texas Children’s Hospital
- Government of Romania
- ExxonMobil
- OMV Petrom
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