Healthcare charity streamlines in Belarus: fundraising becomes more transparent

According to Presidential Decree No. 304 “On Foundations and Charitable Activities in the Sphere of Healthcare”, from September 12, new rules apply according to which only certain organizations and citizens can carry out charitable fees for medical care. At the same time, technical and legal delays occurred in banks and mobile operators, which adjusted systems to meet new requirements and temporarily limited donation collection. In social networks began to write, allegedly because of this, the parents of children diagnosed with SMA, can not quickly open new accounts. The situation was commented on by doctors and lawyers.

About 1,500 charitable organizations operate in Belarus, of which about 100 provide medical assistance. When it comes to life and health, our people do not stay away from other people’s grief. Over the past three years alone, more than 1 billion rubles of aid have been collected in the country. But, as the inspection of the State Control Committee showed, not all the money reached the recipients. The conclusions of the department turned into concrete proposals to eliminate the existing gaps in the legislation.

First Deputy Minister of Justice Natalia Filippova spoke about the main approaches in the development of Decree No. 304. According to her, the state bodies were instructed to develop a legislative act to create a transparent legal framework for charitable fundraising and its targeted use by a person in need of assistance:

- The main goal is not to harm, not to worsen the legal situation of both people who need help and those who want to help. It was necessary to establish a clear and transparent mechanism for the interaction of all those involved. At the same time, determine a mechanism for monitoring the targeted use of collected funds in order to ensure the protection of persons who organize a charitable collection and persons who directly participate in the announced collection by the state.

Now the legislation clearly defines who can officially collect money for treatment and rehabilitation. Citizens can organize charity fees only to pay for their own medical care or treatment of their spouse, close relatives, persons under guardianship or guardianship. As for bloggers, they, as before, can participate in charitable activities, providing information support for fundraising. They can open a charity account if they or their relatives need medical care.

The document states that the collected funds can be used only for treatment, purchase of medical nutrition and medical equipment. When opening a charity account, individuals themselves set the necessary fee limit. If, after the end of the collection of funds and their intended use, unclaimed funds remain, such funds shall be transferred to another charitable account opened by a person who also needs medical care. For its part, the National Bank said that now individuals can open no more than one charity account for each of the purposes. Individuals who have opened more than one charity account for each of the purposes before the entry into force of the Decree must transfer funds to one of the accounts no later than November 12, the rest should be closed. For existing foundations that conduct their business honestly, nothing has changed globally in terms of collecting and using charitable funds. This opinion was expressed by the head of the Fund “Chance” Natalia Makhanko:

- Charity fee should be as transparent as possible, it encourages more citizens to help those in need of treatment. What else matters? The minimum amount of property required for the creation and operation of funds has been doubled. This minimizes the risks of one-day funds. The movement and targeted use of the collected money will be monitored by the regulatory authorities. The main task now is to bring your statutes in accordance with the law.

Natalia Mahanko.

On opening an account for Emilia Korneichuk with SMA Godovala Emilia Korneichuk from Gomel was recently diagnosed with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) of the second type. The drug she needs is one of the most expensive in the world, the price is 1.8 - 2.1 million dollars. The baby's mother posted a post on Threads about not being able to start raising money for her daughter's treatment. After the entry into force of the new rules of charitable activities, several banks refused to open an account due to a temporary suspension of procedures. But with such a diagnosis, it is important to introduce the drug as early as possible so that the body begins to independently produce the desired protein and stop the development of the disease.

The situation with Emilia was commented on by doctors - an algorithm for working with children diagnosed with SMA, explained Irina Wozniak, deputy head of the main department of the organization of medical care of the Ministry of Health:

- As soon as the Ministry of Health receives information about a child with spinal muscular atrophy, a republican medical consultation on gene replacement pathogenetic therapy is initiated to establish a diagnosis, confirm the genetic nature of the disease, as well as determine medical indications and the absence of contraindications for starting treatment.

Irina Wozniak. In the future, the Ministry of Health initiates the issue of receiving funds to a charitable account, which has been opened since 2023 in the RSPC “Mother and Child” specifically for the treatment of children with SMA. Since the opening of the account, medical care has been provided to 14 children. In addition, recently completed the collection of another child. According to the Decree, the document that confirms the right to open a charity account is a medical certificate of health, which is issued on the day of receipt of the request. On September 11, a republican medical consultation was held in relation to Emilia Korneichuk - a certificate was issued on the day of applying to the health organization so that parents could open a charity account. By the way, the Ministry of Health has the right to request and receive information about funds that go to charitable accounts, to analyze and suppress possible abuses. A fundraising account for Emilia's treatment has already been opened. The delay was due to a misunderstanding of the new rules by an employee of the bank, which the girl’s mother applied to. There's no problem right now. First Deputy Minister of Justice Natalia Filippova assured that there are no legal obstacles to organizing fundraising, including opening charity accounts:

- Within two months, state bodies will take organizational, technical and practical measures aimed at implementing all the provisions of the Decree, including explanatory measures, so that each employee of any organization at his workplace knows how to work in accordance with the Decree.

gorbatenko@sb.by

nevmer@sb.by