Month: April 2023

Yelyzaveta’s story is a vivid example of the resilience and strength of Ukrainian women. When she was 8 months pregnant, on March 9 last year, she left her native Mykolaiv to get to Estonia. The journey took more than a week – first to Moldova (she couldn’t go through Lviv because there was no place in the trains even for standing). Then from Chisinau to Warsaw, and then to Tallinn. She doesn’t understand how she decided to take such a bold step, as she was afraid to go because she didn’t know what would happen with therapy abroad (she had been taking ART for over 8 years and didn’t want to put her unborn child and herself at risk by interrupting it). And she had only three months’ worth of medication on hand. However, she found the contacts of the Estonian Network of People Living with HIV (EPHV) and when she got to Tallinn, she called them the very next day.

“They met with me right away – they showed me where the AIDS center was, staff accepted me there, did all the tests, prescribed therapy, and even waited to take me to my place of residence… I was amazed! I was constantly supported before and after the birth. After my son was born, he also underwent all the tests – the child was healthy! At the age of one, he was deregistered. By the way, for all parents who are registered here in Estonia and have children under one year old, meals for the kids are free! They didn’t charge me a cent for the delivery, the ward, or the baby’s things. I thank everyone and especially EPHV and your Service for such care and attitude. For not leaving people alone with their problems. I want to live and go forward! Thank you!”

People who have left “hell” – the places where the fiercest battles are fought in Ukraine – have one thing in common: they talk quietly as if someone is sleeping next to them. And you immediately feel – they are in so much pain that they don’t have enough strength even for emotions.

Roman (name changed) is from Severodonetsk. 70% of the city was destroyed by the russian aggressors and it is under their occupation for the second time (after 2014). When the war started, he took his family and took them to the village. He says that they ran away in their underwear literally. There was no time for medicine (Roman needs OST and was registered on the site), and everything was left at home. But it was not calm outside the city either – within a week, the people of LNR came there. The family decided to go to Europe, but the only way was through russia. Roman managed to persuade a familiar taxi driver and he took everyone to the border. There, the family was received by volunteers who took them by bus to the Rostov region, then to Tver, where they were accommodated in a hostel. The conditions were terrible, Roman says that in the second week, they started coming and persuading him to make Russian passports. “When they heard that we are not going to do this and plan to go home after the victory, they started offering money. We refused, and I understood – we must run away as quickly as possible.” In the telegram, the man found a group of volunteers helping Ukrainians to leave russia. He wrote and after a short time, they had bus tickets. They were taken secretly through Estonia, then transited through Latvia, Germany… Until they reached Belgium. There they were accepted by the Red Cross and settled in the town of Halen in a social apartment. It was May 1, 2022.

When asked about the OST, Roman does not hide that he had an interruption. In russia, he had to buy street methadone, and travel 300 km to Moscow. After settling in Belgium, he had nothing with himself, so he went to Germany to get heroin (in Belgium you can only buy “speeds” or cocaine on the street). “But my goal is to register and continue treatment. So I started to “google” where to find help for people like me abroad. That’s how I found the HelpNow service. I wrote in Telegram and immediately received a message asking me to explain my situation and where exactly I am. You selected the nearest clinic for me, where they didn’t even ask for any medical records there – I just had to fill out a form and make an appointment with a doctor. Two days later, he examined me, did tests, and issued a prescription. Now I just have to go to the pharmacy every day – I have it in the house next door.

Belgians are cheerful, everyone I met here – from the salesmen in the store to the staff of the clinic – was positive. Neighbors come to visit, help, and invite others to their homes. And although it is so good here, and at home, everything is destroyed, we will not stay – we want to go back. I would also like to add that the need for such services as yours is very high. Many of our people are going to other countries and many need to be helped. Thank you and Glory to Ukraine!”

*the photo for the publication was taken from open stocks/sources, the portaited person  is not related to the publication.

Such people can be described in one word – Hero. Ihor is a military man, not by profession, but by the call of his heart. A true patriot, on the first day of the war, 24 February 2022, he was at the military enlistment office in the morning. He says he told his mother about his decision when he was appointed and was at his post. The man held a weapon until June when he sustained a concussion and was sent to Estonia for treatment. The soldier was diagnosed with an internal hematoma and was told to prepare for skull trepanation. At the same time, Ihor started looking for contacts where he could receive ART – at home, in Mykolaiv, he had got it for over 3 years. Although he had 3 months of therapy with him, he was afraid of interrupting it.

“I found the contacts of Eesti HIV-positiivste võrgustik (EHPV) on the Internet. When I called, I was pleasantly surprised – they came to the hospital the same day. Later, I made an appointment with a doctor who did a full examination, sent me for tests and immediately prescribed ART for three months. No problems and it’s a pleasant surprise.”

When asked about his next surgery, it seems that the soldier is not used to complaining. He only says that the pain is sometimes so severe that it prevents him from breathing freely, but immediately adds that as soon as it passes, he will return to his brothers, to the front. “I have already told the commander about this. Let them wait – we will celebrate the victory together!”