For many, Turkey looks like a country where any problems recede into the background, but for Ukrainian refugees from key population groups, it is a place where you can face unexpected difficulties.
Natalya from Kyiv, has been taking ART since 2018. Because of the war, she first sought refuge in Georgia, then in Turkey. She says that in Georgia there were no problems in receiving therapy – it is enough to come to a medical institution with a passport and therapy will be issued for a month. The only problem with taking tests is that the service is paid.
But in May, the circumstances turned out to be such that Natalya was forced to leave Georgia and go to Turkey. There was a small reserve of medicine left, for two weeks. The woman was sure that there would be no problems, because her doctor from Kyiv transferred the therapy with a friend who was going to see her. But the medicine did not arrive due to difficulties at customs, and Natalya urgently began to look for someone who could help in the new country. It turned out to be difficult – Turkey has its own peculiarities in medicine, and even more so for refugees, so the break in taking ART was a month. And finally, the woman came across a link about HelpNow and turned to the service’s Telegram. Then the process went very quickly – she was given the contacts of a local foundation that manages Ukrainian refugees from key groups. Since Natalya had all the medical records from Ukraine on hand, she quickly made an appointment with a doctor, and after a couple of days went to the pharmacy to get the therapy.
“Thank you very much for creating such international support and for being interested in feedback, so I want to share the experience that I received and hope it will be useful to our community. Therapy in Turkey is issued only three times, each for a month. If you continue to stay in the country, you need to get an ikomet – a residence permit. And only after a year, when you will get it, you will be able to receive therapy. There is still a nuance with medical tests. Since I had a break, I wanted to check my viral load. There are only four places in the country where you can do this for free, and they are scattered very far from me. I asked to find a private clinic, but closer. The contact was found, but at first, they offered to do a general blood test. When they agreed to do the necessary one and I asked to send the result to e-mail, they said it was impossible. Only if a person with his passport is present. And after that they also wrote in the messenger that I have to take the test again, it will be sent to the Turkish Ministry of Health and only after that, in two (!) weeks, I will be given the results. Did I agree? Of course not.”
Natalya notes that the attitude of the employees of the partner fund is very responsible and professional, but the stay in the country for a person with HIV has a number of nuances. And she immediately happily adds that he is coming home soon. To her native Kyiv.