PRIORITY 3 - Support & upgrade of health & social services
The iCARE project is a 24-month cross-border initiative whose central goal is to remove barriers to healthcare and social services for vulnerable groups, particularly elderly people, persons with disabilities, children and citizens with chronic conditions or high-risk health profiles. The project responds to shared challenges in the border area, including rural isolation, low digital health literacy, limited e-health services and inequalities in access to primary care.
Locations of activities focus on the Municipality of Prespes (Greece) and the Municipality of Resen (North Macedonia), two remote regions where access to healthcare is particularly restricted. These areas will host pilot actions that extend local “Help at Home” programmes into fully accessible “Healthcare at Home” services, supported by digital tools and mobile units.
The National Confederation of Disabled People of Greece (Lead Beneficiary) oversees overall coordination, management and awareness campaigns, ensuring that accessibility principles are embedded throughout. The 3rd Regional Health Authority of Macedonia contributes medical expertise, develops telemedicine services and strengthens the capacity of regional healthcare units. The Municipality of Prespes and the Municipality of Resen upgrade local infrastructure by acquiring electric vehicles for mobile healthcare, installing telemedicine and mobility aids, and operating pilot services for isolated citizens. The COSV Branch in Prilep supports capacity building, digital health literacy, awareness campaigns and cross-border exchange of good practices.
Key deliverables include the launch of telemedicine and electronic health record systems, acquisition of mobility aids and electric vehicles for homecare, pilot healthcare and social e-services for rural citizens, training workshops and seminars for healthcare professionals, and large-scale publicity and awareness campaigns. Digital platforms and accessible information sources will ensure citizens can navigate services independently, while municipalities will maintain the new infrastructure beyond the project’s lifetime.
Target groups are primarily disadvantaged and high-risk citizens in the cross-border area—elderly residents, people with disabilities, children, and patients with chronic conditions—alongside healthcare professionals, local authorities, and service providers.
The quantified expected results are significant: at least 3,000 people per year will gain access to modernised healthcare services; around 5,000 annual users will benefit from new e-healthcare tools and telemedicine platforms; 25 cross-border joint actions will be carried out; and 15 organisations from both countries will cooperate directly. In addition, the project will deliver a six-month pilot operation of mobile care units, multiple capacity-building activities, and improved digital health literacy across communities.
With a total budget of €892,220.98 (80% EU co-financed), iCARE builds on the Cross4all project (Programming period 2014–2020) and aligns fully with the European Disability Strategy and the European Accessibility Act.
Lead Beneficiary
Project Beneficiaries