The Programme Operator hereby publishes information on future Open Call for grant application for funding of individual projects with focus on prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases of people living in socially excluded localities, mainly Roma (hereinafter “the Call”). Official launch of the Call is expected during February 2020 and the Call will be open for 2-3 months after the official launch.

Activities have to be implemented in the Czech Republic and/or in the donor states.

Following activities will be supported:

1) Creation of information materials in printed and online form for secondary prevention of inhabitants from socially excluded localities, especially the Roma population, focused on selected specific communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Information material on the identification of early or typical symptoms of specific diseases occurring in patients from socially excluded localities (secondary prevention) should contribute to improve health awareness and awareness of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Support will be given to projects aimed at creating information materials for the population from socially excluded localities on the afore mentioned diseases. These are the most common or the most serious types of communicable and non-communicable diseases, which affect people from socially excluded localities and especially the Roma population. Based on available data or studies, the applicant shall justify the choice of the diseases and its relevance. Materials should include information on the initial symptoms of the diseases, how to identify them and where to go for an expert diagnosis. In addition, they should include information on what to do when the initial symptoms of these diseases are recognized and, if applicable, which doctor to contact.

The project promoter will coordinate the distribution of the created secondary prevention materials with the National Institute of Public Health, which has been actively involved in socially excluded localities for a long time and is in charge of a network of Health Promotion Mediators.

2) Provision of materials crucial to develop, validate and implement professional medical recommendations concerning specific communicable and non-communicable diseases occurring in socially excluded localities.

One successful project will be supported. Project will create and implement special procedures for general practitioners and other specialized healthcare workers taking care of patients from socially excluded localities, and especially the Roma population. The project shall provide expert background necessary to develop medical recommendations for communicable and non-communicable diseases that occur to a greater extent or are specific to excluded localities.

These recommendations should include information on how to treat patients in terms of early detection, laboratory and clinical diagnosis, including differential diagnosis. These recommendations should be developed in cooperation with relevant professional societies of the Czech Medical Society J.E.P. or Association of General Practitioners for Children and Adolescents. Expert advice will also include information on the most common or specific causes of health problems of the target group, which are due to lack of awareness or lack of access to healthcare for the target population. The project promoter shall coordinate the project activities with the National Institute of Public Health, which has been active in socially excluded localities and is in charge of the network of Health Promotion Mediators who have got experience in health assessment in socially excluded localities.

Following the development of the expert recommendations the project promoter will ensure their distribution to general practitioners and other relevant healthcare professionals through the relevant professional societies of the Czech Medical Society J.E.P. or Association of General Practitioners for Children and Adolescents. The beneficiary of the grant will also organize seminars and / or workshops for the doctors and healthcare professionals to present and introduce the recommendations.

The following eligible applicants may submit a grant application:

• Eligible applicants are providers of specialized care according to Act No. 372/2011 Coll. (as amended) operating in the Czech Republic. The applicant may be a legal entity, private or public, commercial or non-commercial, established in accordance with the legislation of the Czech Republic.
• Applicants must have experience in managing multidisciplinary medical research teams with proven professional and international experience related to the focus of this call.

The eligible applicant shall be a legal entity, private or public, commercial or non-commercial, established in accordance with the legislation of the Czech Republic. Natural persons and/or NGOs will not be eligible applicants in the call.

The grant application can be submitted in partnership with relevant partner organisation from the donor states (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway) and/or the Czech Republic. Eligible partner of the project may be public or private, commercial or non-commercial entity as well as non-governmental organization or intergovernmental organization actively participating in the project and effectively contributing to its implementation.

Allocation of the Call, grant, co-financing, date of eligibility of expenditures:

Allocation of the Call is 41 999 979 CZK / 1 647 058 EUR

Minimum grant per project will be 5 100 000 CZK / 200 000 EUR and maximum grant per project will be 25 500 000 Kč / 1 000 000 EUR.

Public institutions can apply for a grant up to 100% of eligible expenditures.

Other legal entities can apply for a grant up to 60% of eligible expenditures.

The share of investment expenditures in the total amount cannot exceed 20% of the requested grant.

Expenditures are eligible until 31 December 2023.

All terms and conditions of submitting grant applications will be part of official launch of the Call and further information will be presented on seminars for applicants. Dates of the seminars will be publish on www.eeagrants.cz and www.mzcr.cz.

Abovementioned information is not binding and can be modified until the official launch of the Call. The pre-announcement should provide basic information on future Call to potential applicants.