World AIDS Day: Accelerating HIV response in Ukraine during the war

1st of December 2022 is different from any other World AIDS Day. In Ukraine we are summing up HIV response during Russian war against Ukraine.

These 9 months of war caused the largest population move in Europe since WW2 ep –15 mln Ukrainians left their homes as internally displaced people (IDPs) or refugees; over 1000 Ukrainian medical facilities have been destroyed or damaged, about 20% of the Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian invaders – committing war crimes against civilians, cutting access to essential services and treatment, torturing and killing people with HIV and TB.

Since the first days of war Alliance for Public Health (APH) has been working with other civil society and community organizations, medical facilities, governmental organizations and Ministry of Health to sustain HIV response.

“The is a latest report, not only summarizing huge challenges for nearly 300 of war, but rather providing some data and lessons learned on sustaining and in moreover accelerating HIV response (this time it focuses on HIV on the eve of World AIDS Day). While with such damage of energy sector and daily power cuts, life is getting more challenging, we are continue working addressing both health and humanitarian needs, – said Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health. – Thank you for keeping supporting Ukraine, thank you for investing in community and civil society. Just a couple of highlights. It makes the difference! Every 2nd newly diagnosed person with HIV during the war was found and got tested within APH projects. 84% of new PrEP clients were navigated by APH and its implementing partners. When hospitals got destroyed by missiles and shelling, 40 mobile ambulances continue provision of essential services”.

With this report we are sharing our highlights based on unique experience of APH and is partners. We actually issued the Situation Report as well as a special brief video, please find them here.