Month: July 2026

AIDS 2026 discussion focused on maintaining continuity of HIV care for migrants and refugees during crises

On 27 July, during AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, a discussion titled “Building Community Networks for Sustained HIV Care Among Migrants and Refugees” took place at the Ukraine Resilience Booth.

The event was held as part of the work of the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health in Eurasia (REG). The discussion was moderated by Daniel Kashnitsky and Mari Chokheli.

The central question of the session was highly practical: how can we ensure that people who are forced to move because of war, crisis, persecution or economic instability do not lose access to HIV treatment, prevention, information and support?

For people living with HIV or people with a higher likelihood of acquiring HIV, migration often means much more than moving to another country. It means a new health system, a different language, unclear rules, documents, fear of stigma, lack of money, loss of trusted contacts and the risk of being left alone with questions that directly affect their health.

This is why continuity of HIV care in the context of migration cannot be built around a health facility alone. It requires a network: people, organisations, services, counsellors, communities and clear referral pathways that help a person avoid getting lost between systems.

Yulia Golub, Coordinator of the HelpNow Service at HelpNowHUB Foundation and IAS HIV Prevention Ambassador, took part in the discussion. In her remarks, she spoke about the experience of HelpNowHUB — an initiative that emerged as an emergency response to the full-scale war against Ukraine and later became an independent foundation supporting people on the move.

“For a person in migration, HIV care is not one service in one place. It is a pathway: information, trust, documents, referrals, language support and continued accompaniment. If even one part of this pathway disappears, a person may fall out of treatment or prevention,” said Yulia.

According to her, the war only made more visible what had already existed before: health systems often remain fragmented, difficult to navigate and not always ready to respond to the needs of people moving across countries.

For Ukrainians who have found themselves in other countries because of the war, access to HIV care often starts not with a medical protocol, but with very simple and at the same time very difficult questions: where to go, whether documents will be accepted, how to explain one’s status in another language, whether confidentiality will be protected, whether treatment can be accessed without judgement, and whether there is someone nearby who can help navigate this path.

This is where communities play a key role.

“Community networks are not an add-on to the system. For many migrants and refugees, they are the first real pathway back to care. A person often does not start with a doctor or a public service. They start with someone they can trust,” Yulia emphasised.

Participants stressed that the resilience of HIV care during crises depends not only on the availability of medicines, but also on whether there are functioning mechanisms of cooperation between countries and organisations. This includes clear referrals, accessible information in several languages, peer counsellor support, sustainable partnerships, flexible services and the meaningful involvement of communities in decision-making.

“The crisis has shown that continuity of HIV care is sustained not only by protocols. It is sustained by trust between people, by communities that do not let a person disappear at the moment of movement, and by community organisations such as HelpNowHUB, which allow care to move together with the person,” said Yulia.

HelpNow

“After an emergency caesarean section, I had to prove that I was entitled to free healthcare”: Hanna’s story

“The hardest part wasn’t giving birth. The hardest part was having to prove to the authorities, after surgery, that I was entitled to medical care,” says Hanna (name changed).

Hanna is 28 years old. She moved to Poland before the full-scale war began, studied there, speaks Polish fluently, and worked for a local non-governmental organization. When she found out she was pregnant, she expected her life to change in only one way—she was preparing to become a mother.

Shortly after informing her employer about her pregnancy, however, she lost her job.

To ensure she would retain access to free healthcare, Hanna registered with the local Employment Office on the recommendation of consultants. This allowed her to maintain public health insurance throughout her pregnancy.

“I carefully followed every requirement. I regularly submitted medical certificates, kept the Employment Office informed about my pregnancy, and never missed an appointment. The system clearly showed my expected due date and all my medical documentation,” Hanna recalls.

Toward the end of her pregnancy, everything changed.

Two weeks before her expected due date, she was admitted to hospital. She remained under constant medical supervision because her pregnancy required inpatient care.

During that time, she was scheduled to attend a mandatory appointment at the Employment Office.

Obviously, she was physically unable to be there.

“I still don’t understand the logic behind this system. The staff could see my records, they knew how far along I was, and they knew there were only two weeks left until my due date. Isn’t it obvious that a woman at this stage of pregnancy may already be in hospital? Hospitalization during the third trimester is not unusual,” she says.

Because she failed to attend the appointment, Hanna was automatically removed from the Employment Office’s register.

As a result, she also lost her public health insurance.

A few days later, complications arose during labour. Initially, doctors planned a natural birth, but the situation changed rapidly, and an emergency Caesarean section became necessary.

After giving birth, Hanna faced another shock.

Since her health insurance had been terminated, she received a hospital bill covering the costs of surgery, anaesthesia, medications, and medical care.

“At that moment, money wasn’t even on my mind. I had just undergone emergency surgery, and my newborn baby was beside me. Suddenly, I was expected to prove that I had even been entitled to give birth free of charge.”

The hospital showed understanding and agreed to discharge Hanna and her baby without immediate payment, essentially trusting that the issue would be resolved.

However, instead of recovering from major surgery and caring for her newborn, Hanna had to deal with administrative procedures.

She was required to restore her registration with the Employment Office, explain why she had missed the appointment, collect supporting documents, and prove that she had been unable to attend because she had been hospitalized.

“After a Caesarean section, every movement is painful. Instead of resting, I was going from one public office to another, explaining things that should have been obvious and worrying whether I would have to pay for my treatment myself.”

Only later, with the support of the Fundacja HelpNowHUB team, was the situation resolved and the issue of payment for her medical care settled.

In the end, the story concluded without financial loss.

Nevertheless, Hanna believes she was much more fortunate than many other Ukrainian women.

“I speak Polish, I understand how the system works, and I’m not afraid to stand up for my rights. My mother was also there to stay with my baby while I dealt with all the paperwork. But not every woman has that kind of support.”

According to Hanna, this case exposes one of the most serious gaps in the system.

“After giving birth—especially after an emergency Caesarean section—a woman should be recovering and caring for her baby. She shouldn’t have to convince government officials that she really was in hospital and therefore couldn’t attend an appointment. The system should protect people in situations like this, not create additional barriers.”

Hanna’s story demonstrates that even someone who speaks the language, understands how public institutions work, and has family support can still face administrative decisions that jeopardize access to healthcare.

For many Ukrainian women who do not speak Polish, are unfamiliar with administrative procedures, or have no relatives nearby, a similar situation could have far more serious consequences.

That is why timely information, navigation through administrative systems, and individualized support remain essential for people rebuilding their lives in a new country.

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This publication was prepared by Fundacją HelpNow HUB within the framework of the project “From heart to heart” in partnership with Fundacja Step by Step and Fundacja Res Humanae, with financial support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Poland

“The most important thing is knowing where to turn”: Dmytro’s Story

“When you move to a new city, even ordinary things can suddenly become a challenge. For me, the most important thing was making sure my treatment wasn’t interrupted,” says Dmytro (name changed).

Dmytro is living with HIV and receives antiretroviral therapy (ART). He is also enrolled in opioid substitution therapy (OST). After moving to Kyiv from another Ukrainian city, he faced a challenge familiar to many people in similar circumstances: where to continue his treatment and how to quickly find the right healthcare providers.

“I didn’t know where exactly to go. I had all my medical records and discharge documents with me, but I had no idea where to start or which healthcare facilities provided these services in Kyiv,” Dmytro explains.

During one of his medical appointments, a physician who had previously recommended the service to other patients suggested that he contact HelpNow.

“She told me they would help me find the right contacts and guide me through the process. I submitted my request and received a response very quickly.”

The HelpNow team promptly provided Dmytro with up-to-date information about healthcare facilities where he could continue both his antiretroviral therapy and opioid substitution therapy, while also explaining the next steps.

“I already had all the necessary medical documents with me, so now I’m arranging my registration and enrolling for care. The most important thing is that I now know where to go and what to do next,” he says.

For Dmytro, this consultation became much more than an answer to his questions—it helped him quickly regain confidence after relocating.

“Sometimes all you need is someone to point you in the right direction. It saves time, reduces stress, and helps ensure that treatment continues without interruption. I am very grateful to the HelpNowHUB team for their prompt assistance and support.”

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HelpNow Ukraine