Two months ago, Iryna (name changed) moved from Ukraine to Lithuania. She gradually began settling into her new surroundings, dealing with everyday matters, and adjusting to life in another country. One of her important priorities was continuing opioid substitution therapy (OST), which she had already been receiving in Ukraine.
Iryna knew that OST programmes were available in Lithuania, but she did not know which healthcare facility to contact or how to enrol in a programme.
“I’ve only been in Lithuania for two months. I’ve already figured out some things, but at first I didn’t know where to go for substitution therapy. In Ukraine, everything was familiar, but here I had to start from scratch.”
To obtain the information she needed, Iryna contacted the HelpNow service. She was provided with the contact details of an appropriate healthcare facility and guidance on how to arrange her first appointment to continue treatment.
With this information, she contacted the recommended facility. Her appointment has already taken place: Iryna spoke with healthcare professionals and completed the necessary procedures.
“I’ve already had my first consultation, and a decision has been made to enrol me in the programme. It turned out to be less complicated than I had imagined. The main thing is to have all the necessary documents and get to the right specialist.”
Iryna now knows where she can receive the therapy she needs and whom to contact with questions about her treatment. For her, this means that another important issue following her relocation has been resolved.
“I’m glad I contacted HelpNow. They told me where to go, and that was enough for me to organise everything else on my own.”
***
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.