Statistics

Prevention programs for people who inject drugs (PWID)

During the 11 months of 2025, 44 NGOs, 19 mobile clinics, and 14 mobile teams implemented HIV, STI, and TB prevention programs among PWID. Clients received sterile injection equipment, condoms, and alcohol wipes, counseling, assisted testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, as well as early tuberculosis detection services.

In projects funded by the Global Fund and PEPFAR, 10,218 PWID received a minimum package of services during the reporting period (syringe or needle, condom, counseling), and 48,769 PWID underwent assisted HIV testing using a rapid test and received their results. In 2024, 2,431 PWID tested positive for HIV, and 1,261 PWID sought care at healthcare facilities after referral. 840 PWID confirmed their positive result (were newly diagnosed) and 1,314 PWID started ART (including those who were tested/confirmed their result in the previous period).

Prevention programs for sex workers (SWs)

During the 11 months in 2025, 35 NGOs implemented HIV and STI prevention programs among SWs. Clients received condoms, counseling, assisted testing for HIV, hepatitis B, C, and syphilis, as well as early tuberculosis detection services.

In projects financially supported by the Global Fund, 6,315 sex workers received a minimum package of prevention services (condoms, counseling), and 4,784 SWs underwent assisted testing for HIV infection using a rapid test and received their results. In 2025, 391 SWs tested positive for HIV, 337 SWs sought care at healthcare facilities after referral, 50 SWs confirmed their positive test results (were newly diagnosed), and 76 SWs started ART (including those who were tested/confirmed their results in the previous period).

Prevention programs for men who have sex with men (MSM)

During the 11 months of 2025, 27 NGOs implemented HIV and STI prevention programs among MSM. Clients received condoms, lubricants, counseling, assisted testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, as well as early detection services for tuberculosis.

In projects financially supported by the Global Fund, 9,119 MSM received a minimum package of services (condoms and counseling), and 6,667 MSM underwent assisted HIV testing using a rapid test and received their results. In 2025, 74 MSM tested positive for HIV, and 64 MSM sought care at health facilities after referral. Forty-four MSM confirmed their positive test results (were newly diagnosed) and 59 MSM started ART (including those who were tested/confirmed their results in the previous period).

Prevention programs for trans*people

During 11 months of 2025, 11 NGOs implemented HIV and STI prevention programs among trans*people. Clients received condoms, lubricants, counseling, assisted testing for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis, as well as early detection services for tuberculosis.

In projects financially supported by the Global Fund, 6,624 trans*people received a minimum package of services (condoms and counseling), and 5,244 trans*people underwent assisted testing for HIV infection using a rapid test and received their results. Nine trans*people tested positive, nine trans*people sought care after referral, six confirmed positive results, and eight started ART.

Research among key populations on HIV infection, implemented during 2025

1. Analysis of the HIV situation in Ukraine in the context of full-scale war

In 2024-2025, the International Charitable Foundation “Public Health Alliance” conducted a comprehensive study on the impact of full-scale war on the HIV epidemic in Ukraine. The analysis covered data from 2020-2023 on testing, treatment, retention, population size, and changes in epidemic trends at the national and regional levels, including differences between regions that experienced combat operations or received PEPFAR support. Regional differences, population mobility, and uneven access to services have created new challenges and, at the same time, identified areas where the most urgent action is needed.

The 6-month retention rate of PLHIV on treatment slowly declined between 2020 and 2023, with the largest contribution coming from regions with large patient cohorts – Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kyiv regions, and Kyiv city. At the same time, some frontline regions showed stable or even improved results, highlighting the importance of organizational resilience, not just the security context. PEPFAR regions generally maintained better performance, although the difference with other regions gradually narrowed.
The fixed pre-war population estimate no longer reflects the actual situation: alternative methods show a difference of up to 6 million people. This significantly affects morbidity and prevalence rates, especially in areas with depopulation (e.g., Donetsk) and in regions that receive large groups of IDPs (e.g., Lviv). Correct interpretation of the data is only possible with the use of updated, adapted denominators.
After the war began, the volume of testing increased, but the proportion of positive results decreased by almost half, indicating a shift in focus to the general population with a decrease in coverage of key groups. Testing remained most systematic in PEPFAR regions, but even there, detection rates declined. In regions with active hostilities, the decline in detection rates was most rapid, due to loss of access to high-risk groups.
The number of newly registered HIV cases and new ART starts declined between 2020 and 2023. This partly reflects migration, disruption of patient pathways, and a decline in the system’s ability to ensure early transition to treatment. In the rear regions, on the contrary, ART initiation sometimes increased due to the additional influx of patients displaced from war zones.
Testing for viral load proved to be the most unstable indicator. Numerous fluctuations were recorded in non-PEPFAR regions, while in PEPFAR regions the laboratory component remained more stable. The laboratory system proved vulnerable to logistical barriers, centralization, and supply interruptions during periods of peak threats.
Odessa and Dnipropetrovsk regions remain the stable core of the HIV epidemic. In 2023, Donetsk and Kherson regions temporarily joined them, mainly due to changes in population size rather than an actual increase in new cases. This emphasizes that current cluster profiles are shaped by both epidemiological and demographic factors, which should be taken into account when planning responses.

Based on the results of the research, a number of recommendations have been formulated to help strengthen the HIV service system in wartime conditions. First and foremost, Ukraine needs to transition to a realistic picture of PLHIV retention: synchronizing data with border and migration services, enabling patients to update information through digital services, and recording the actual place of service delivery in the IS SSD. This will make it possible to correctly distinguish between those who have left and those who continue treatment in Ukraine. The need to review pre-war approaches to population assessment has been separately emphasized, as migration and displacement significantly change morbidity and prevalence rates and can distort regional priorities.

In the area of testing, it is worth shifting the focus from the number of tests to their effectiveness—analyzing detection, covering key groups, and making wider use of tools to detect recent infections. To respond quickly to changes, automated trend analysis and regular updates on morbidity are needed. The laboratory component has proven to be the most vulnerable to shocks, so its recovery requires investment in logistics, backup routes, and the stability of regional laboratories.

Updated population data and better monitoring will help us better cluster regions, figure out the real epidemic burden, and set regional priorities. This means expanding the set of indicators for clustering and standardizing the methodology so that the results can be used to plan national HIV programs.

The full results of the research are available on the Alliance website.

The research was conducted as part of the program “Sustainable Response to HIV and TB Epidemics in the Context of War and Recovery in Ukraine for 2024–2026,” which is implemented with the support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Statistics 2001-2025