EU’s Levers to End HIV/AIDS in Ukraine
Ukraine has long faced significant challenges in addressing its HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is one of the largest in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Prior to the war, the country made notable strides in HIV prevention, treatment, and support for key populations, largely through a collaborative approach involving the government, civil society, and international donors like the Global Fund and PEPFAR. However, the ongoing conflict has severely disrupted the healthcare system, creating new barriers to treatment and exacerbating the vulnerabilities of people living with HIV. Ukraine’s path to EU membership offers a unique opportunity to reform its HIV/AIDS policies, enhance human rights protections, and integrate international best practices into its healthcare system. In February 2024, Aidsfonds, Friends of the Global Fund, and the Alliance for Public Health Ukraine convened stakeholders from Ukrainian authorities, EU institutions, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the UN, and civil society to discuss Ukraine’s AIDS response and the EU’s potential role in advancing it. The recommendations in this policy brief have been developed by the organisers, based on and elaborating upon these discussions.
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