OST Patient Certificate – What is it and how to get it?

In 2021, the REAct system recorded 22% of cases of violations of OST patients’ rights. Violations usually concerned illegal searches and police detention of clients who had OST medications for self-reception.
Although OST patients usually have documents proving the legality of obtaining the necessary drugs with them, this information is often insufficient for police officers. In such cases, they can call the medical facility to find out if the person is really a patient of the Program, or forcibly take him to the police station to further determine the reasons for the person’s drug findings.
To reduce the reasons for such situations between OST patients and police officers, the REAct project team initiated the widespread introduction of an appropriate advocacy mechanism.
Currently, our colleagues from ICF “Alliance for Public Health” are actively lobbying for amendments to the legal act governing the implementation of the OST program – Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine from 27.03.2012 № 200 “On approval of the Procedure for substitution maintenance therapy for people with mental and behavioral disorders due to opioid use”, to provide OST patients with appropriate certificates of program participants. As a result of such work, a pilot phase was agreed upon by the relevant group at the Ministry of Health in February this year.
As of May 2022, partners of the ICF “Alliance for Public Health” have already begun to receive forms of “OST Patient Certificate” for further issuance to interested patients who receive drugs for self-reception for up to 30 days.
The forms also include the OST Patient’s Note, which contains an algorithm for the patient’s actions in various situations.
Those wishing to obtain a certain number of copies of the OST Patient Certificate should fill out the form at: https://forms.gle/an1ybF1PZeYe6bUe8.
We remind you that we are currently collecting real needs to decide on the next edition.
The deadline for applications is May 15, 2022.