Fighting HIV/AIDS in Ukraine

In 1995 Ukraine began to experience a rapid spread of HIV infection, particularly among intravenous drug users. By January 2002, national monitoring and international estimates posited that approximately 240,000 people— equivalent to 1 percent of the adult population—were living with HIV. In response to the epidemic, the government of Ukraine has committed itself to a national program to contain HIV/AIDS, to develop capacity for the treatment of HIV-infected people and to provide care such as social support and counseling to people currently living with the disease.

With grants from the Global Fund totaling US$25 million for two years, partners in Ukraine aim to provide antiretroviral therapy and treatment of opportunistic infections to 4,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and to provide antiretroviral prophylaxis to 50 percent of all pregnant women with HIV to prevent mother-tochild transmission.

Additional goals include a 20 percent increase in the exposure of intravenous drug users to HIV/AIDS prevention programs; a 50 percent increase in the use of sterile syringes by intravenous drug users; a 30 percent increase in the use of condoms by commercial sex workers; and an increase in the knowledge of HIV prevention methods by 40 percent among people in uniform and by 20 percent among prisoners.

Ukraine has engaged a diverse range of institutions to carry out program activities, including government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, networks of people living with HIV/AIDS and the private sector. In particular, the network of people living with HIV/AIDS will take a central role in the implementation of the program, providing peer counseling and education.

To accelerate the use and distribution of funds, three separate Principal Recipients have shared the responsibility of program management, and the Global Fund has disbursed US$1.5 million to them by the end of July 2003.