HIV prevention, diagnosis and care for Ukrainian refugees in Poland - ISS-G20 Laboratorium Repository

The WHO 2022–2030 global health sector strategy on HIV reaffirmed an ambitious challenge to the world – to end AIDS as a public health threat by the year 2030, through determination, collaboration and sufficient funding to make this happen. With access to the right treatment and an understanding of the lifestyle adjustments needed, those living with HIV are now able to enjoy long and healthy lives.

For many countries, this is an achievable goal thanks to affordable HIV drugs, established regimens, good prevention programmes and early diagnosis. However, when unforeseen events such as war and other emergencies happen, many hard-won gains can easily be overturned.

Ukraine has long had one of the highest disease burdens of HIV of the 53 countries of the European Region. Figures from 2021 indicated that almost quarter of a million Ukrainians were living with the disease, and certain groups, such as drug users, men who have sex with men, and sex workers, are at higher vulnerability and risk of infection, just as everywhere in the world.

The escalation of military operations in Ukraine triggered a large-scale movement of refugees into surrounding countries. In addition to health needs directly caused by the hostilities, including trauma care, significant numbers of refugees required treatment for chronic health conditions, including HIV.

Poland saw the highest numbers of Ukrainian refugees crossing the border, with an estimated 7 million people entering the country, of whom almost 1.5 million have applied for temporary protection. Many of them are aware of their HIV-positive status and are receiving treatment. Some people may be unaware of their status and others are at heightened risk of contracting HIV due to external factors, such as drug use or sexual transmission, including through sex work and sexual abuse.

A key part of the health response is ensuring that refugees have the necessary information in Ukrainian about which services are available to them and how to access them. The HIV treatment regimen in Ukraine differs from the regimen used in European Union (EU) countries and includes use of certain effective drugs which are not licensed for use in EU countries. Continuing to adhere to treatment regimens that are effective and avoiding unnecessary changes are the best solutions for the health of patients. The Polish government passed legislation to ensure that these drugs are available for the treatment of Ukrainian patients in Poland.

This video shows the collaborative approach employed by the Polish National AIDS Centre, Ministry of Health and nongovernmental organizations, supported by the WHO Country Office in Poland.

Entire content available on: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/27-12-2022-hiv-prevention--diagnosis-and-care-for-ukrainian-refugees-in-poland