Ukraine

Key Results

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, promptly created a crisis response platform for coordinated actions towards ensuring continued access to HIV/TB/OAT services by key populations.
Sustained delivery of HIV and sexual and reproductive health information and services; and distributed food packages and/or vouchers to over 200 000 people living with HIV/ TB and key populations.
Promoted community-led HIV responses and meaningful involvement of women to address all forms of stigma and discrimination and gender-based violence.
Supported review of the 2020-2030 national HIV, TB, viral hepatitis and OAT programmes, and improved strategic evidence for resource mobilization with the independent assessment of transition-to-domestic-funding plan 2018-2021.

Joint Programme Results

In 2022, the Joint Team in Ukraine focused on reinforcing the national HIV response while mitigating the impact of the war and ensuring the continuity of HIV services for vulnerable and key populations, including people living with HIV.

A newly launched virtual platform (hosted by WHO) is improving monitoring of barriers to treatment and health services among people living with HIV and key populations in emergency and conflict settings, coordination of HIV communication activities and mapping of HIV prevention, care and support services for people living with HIV nationwide. In 10 cities affected by the war, 29 government and community-based HIV service providers received essential support to ensure continuity of HIV prevention, care and support services among internally displaced people living with HIV and key populations (UNDP, UNAIDS Secretariat). Access to sexual and reproductive health services was sustained with the distribution of emergency maternity and reproductive health kits including HIV and STI treatment supplies in 50 referral level maternity hospitals in all 22 regions of Ukraine; and more than 1300 healthcare providers and health managers from primary and secondary facilities completed an intensive training programme on sexual and gender-based violence. Besides, a new out-of-school sexual education campaign scaled up access to education on HIV and sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and young people who were affected by the war (UNFPA).

In collaboration with Care International, a rapid gender analysis on the differentiated impact of the war in Ukraine on women and men, including representatives of vulnerable groups, further informed the humanitarian response (UN Women). In seven cities, 412 shelters’ residents received humanitarian, HIV, tuberculosis, harm reduction, opioid agonist therapy (OAT), counselling and psychological services (UNODC, UNAIDS Secretariat). In addition, over 780 000 vulnerable people, including 210 000 people living with HIV and tuberculosis and people from key population groups received food packages and/or vouchers in partnership with the All-Ukraine Network of People Living with HIV (WFP).

HIV case detection in Ukraine was strengthened through procurement of HIV testing kits for nearly one million people, including pregnant women and HIV-exposed children and viral load testing kits for 200 000 people through the Global Fund emergency grant and collaboration with the Ukraine Public Health Centre (UNICEF). A national HIV service provision standard and a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) scale-up plan have been developed and put in place to strengthen PrEP services among vulnerable and key populations across the country (WHO).

Following an assessment on the needs of people who use new psychoactive substances, an electronic guide and animated learning videos on HIV harm reduction online services were piloted through government- and civil society-led HIV programmes. As a result, 570 people who use new psychoactive substances received HIV testing and 130 people were enrolled on OAT (UNODC). As a result of the Joint Team’s advocacy, Kyiv Regional Trade Unions' Council adopted the ILO Violence and Harassment Policy prohibiting violence and harassment and all forms of stigma and discrimination, including based on real or perceived HIV status, sexual orientation and gender identity, covering more than 100 000 workers in Kyiv region (ILO).