What are our permanent priorities?
The Health Mediation Program is one of the strategic pillars of the SASTIPEN Association, aiming to facilitate access to quality medical services for vulnerable people, especially those from Roma communities. The organization is an accredited ANC provider and has qualified more than 1,800 health mediators nationwide, contributing decisively to the professionalization of this occupation and to the development of the occupational standard.
Since 2024, SASTIPEN has been a strategic partner of the Ministry of Health for evaluating and improving the health mediation program and for implementing the health component of the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2022–2027. The program includes ongoing methodological assistance for mediators and coordinators, the development of guides and working tools, continuous training, and impact evaluation. At the same time, the organization provides professional and legal support to mediators, contributing to the consolidation of an effective national community health network.
The Program for Developing Integrated Community Service Centers is a major strategic initiative of the SASTIPEN Association, focused on implementing an integrated and sustainable intervention model at local level. The program started in 2008 with the first center in the Ferentari neighborhood of Bucharest, introducing an innovative approach that brings together medical, social, and educational services in a single framework adapted to community needs. SASTIPEN later developed 34 centers nationally, 8 of which were taken over by local authorities and operate sustainably within the public system, confirming the viability of the model.
The centers facilitate access to primary medical services, counselling, social support, health education, and referral to specialized services through multidisciplinary teams. The program reduces service fragmentation and strengthens interinstitutional cooperation, being based on community participation and local needs assessments. The model promoted is recognized as a good practice for developing inclusive and resilient communities.
The Program for Monitoring Roma Access to Medical-Social Services is a strategic intervention through which SASTIPEN promotes respect for the right to health and combats discrimination in the public system. The program continuously evaluates how vulnerable people, especially Roma people, access medical and social services, based on data collected directly from communities. Since 2008, the organization has documented discrimination cases in the medical system, and in 2009 it officially reported situations of refusal of access for Roma women to obstetric-gynecological services, which were later confirmed by the National Council for Combating Discrimination.
These efforts contributed to public recognition of the problem of ethnic discrimination in healthcare. Today, SASTIPEN systematically monitors reported cases, offers counselling to victims, supports the drafting of complaints, and, when necessary, promotes strategic litigation. The program also includes ongoing research and analyses of access barriers, the results of which are used for public policy recommendations and advocacy actions, contributing to the development of a more equitable medical-social system.
The “Health Education” Program is an essential component of SASTIPEN’s interventions, aimed at preventing illness and increasing the level of information among vulnerable people regarding their rights and responsibilities in the field of health. The program starts from the idea that access to accurate information, adapted to the community context, is crucial for reducing risks and strengthening trust in the medical system. The first major campaign was implemented in 2008 in Neamț County for tuberculosis prevention, followed by interventions dedicated to the early detection of cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Activities include information sessions, counselling, medical caravans, support for participation in screening, vaccination promotion, reproductive health, and prevention of communicable diseases. Messages are culturally adapted and delivered with the support of health mediators. The program contributes to changing health behaviors, individual empowerment, and reducing inequalities in access to medical services.
The Training and Instruction Program for Professionals in the Medical-Social Field is a strategic component of SASTIPEN’s intervention, aimed at improving the quality of services provided to vulnerable people by developing the competencies of professionals in the medical and social systems. The program is based on the idea that equitable access to services depends not only on the legislative framework, but also on professionals’ attitude, ethics, and ability to work with diverse groups. The first training sessions were organized in 2010 for medical staff and focused on preventing discrimination and respecting patients’ rights.
The program later expanded to students, health mediators, social workers, and other relevant actors, promoting intercultural communication, work in multidisciplinary teams, and European standards regarding equal treatment. Activities include interactive workshops, case studies, and thematic debates. Through this program, SASTIPEN contributes to the development of professionals who are sensitive to the needs of vulnerable communities and to public services based on respect, responsibility, and non-discrimination.
The Research and Advocacy Program represents the strategic dimension through which SASTIPEN transforms community experience into solid arguments for institutional change and evidence-based public policies. The program starts from the conviction that effective interventions require concrete data on the real barriers faced by vulnerable people. The first major research effort, conducted in 2008, analyzed Roma access to health services, highlighting administrative, socio-economic, and discriminatory obstacles.
The organization later produced studies and thematic reports on access to medical-social services, the impact of discrimination, the functioning of health mediation, and the situation of vulnerable groups. These analyses combine qualitative and quantitative methods and are used in public policy recommendations and advocacy actions. SASTIPEN actively participates in consultations, working groups, and institutional dialogue at national and European level, promoting equality, non-discrimination, and Roma participation in decision-making, thus contributing to more effective and equitable public policies.