Today, February 24, 2025, marks three years since the start of full-scale war in Ukraine. At that time, the country faced unprecedented challenges: about 20% of its territory was occupied, 1,938 medical facilities were damaged, 297 of which were destroyed, and damage to medical infrastructure was estimated at $7 billion. Despite these challenges, non-profit organizations, such as the Alliance for Public Health, ICF, continue to actively support the population’s health by implementing innovative solutions and expanding the range of services provided. The VirusOFF team fully shares the Alliance’s innovative solutions and initiatives for a future that will ensure the recovery and development of Ukraine’s healthcare system.
In its new report, “No Break in the Struggle: Ukraine’s Health Response Three Years into the War” the Alliance for Public Health summarizes the organization’s activities in 2024 and outlines plans for 2025.
Since the war began, the organization has supported more than 1.6 million Ukrainians, including internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, military personnel, and veterans. The organization has not only maintained its core HIV and tuberculosis programs but has significantly expanded them. During the three years of the war, the Alliance for Public Health and its partners identified 15,275 new HIV cases, representing 45% of all reported cases in the country. In addition, 66% (14,000 people) of all new participants in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs were recruited specifically by the Alliance for Public Health and its partners.
In the area of TB control, the organization provided medical and psychosocial support to 17,117 patients, including 5,579 with drug-resistant forms of the disease. In the context of fuel shortages, in 2022, the organization introduced delivery of medicines and collection of tests with the help of social workers on bicycles in eight regions of Ukraine. From 2022 to 2024, the programs diagnosed 4,040 TB cases among key populations. Special attention was paid to internally displaced persons: in 2024, the number of TB cases detected among this group increased by 2.5 times compared to 2023, and all patients started treatment immediately.
These three years of war have been the most intense and significant years of the Alliance for Public Health’s work in Ukraine. But despite the ongoing hostilities and associated difficulties, the organization has demonstrated an example of resilience and dedication as it continues to fight for the health and well-being of the Ukrainian people.
Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health, notes: “We strongly believe that Ukraine deserves a just resolution of this war. Obviously, there will be trade-offs on the way to ending the war. But in any scenario, the health of Ukrainians has already been affected and exhausted so much by the russian war, so it is not a subject for compromise. In order to achieve this, Ukraine should be able to rely on its partners and allies — in the US, Europe, and globally. We need your continuing support to do everything for a brighter, peaceful, secure and sustainable future for our country!”
To read the full report, “No Break in the Struggle: Ukraine’s Health Response Three Years into the War” please click here.