How can essential health services continue during war, displacement and political pressure? How can hepatitis care, mental health support and harm reduction better respond to people’s needs? Alliance for Public Health (APH) and partners from Eastern Europe and Central Asia will share their experience of addressing these questions at INHSU 2026 in Prague.
The 14th International Conference on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users takes place on 6–9 October, bringing together researchers, healthcare professionals, community representatives, policymakers and advocates. Following the pre-conference activities on 6 October, the main scientific programme opens on 7 October.
Maintaining care during conflict and displacement
On 7 October, 10:05–10:25, Tetiana Deshko, Director of International Programs at APH, will deliver a plenary presentation, “Adapting Harm Reduction and Infectious Disease Models of Care in Conflict Settings.”
Her presentation will focus on how harm reduction and infectious disease services can adapt to war, displacement and disruption of health systems, drawing on experience from Ukraine and the wider region.
Later that day, 13:45–15:15, Anna Meteliuk, Project Manager: Research at APH, will co-chair “Adapting Under Pressure: Harm Reduction Responses When Faced with Conflict, Repression, and Displacement” with Ernst Wisse of Médecins du Monde.
The session will feature case studies from Moldova, presented by Vitali Rabinciuc; Georgia, presented by Marina Chokheli; and Kyrgyzstan, presented by Alla Bessonova. Tetiana Deshko will join the panel discussion. Together, participants will examine how programmes and communities adapt to pressures that threaten access to essential services.
Connecting mental health and harm reduction
On 9 October, 12:20–12:35, Maria Malakhova, Project Manager: Implementation Science and Digital Health Innovations at APH, will speak during the “Integrated Health Responses” session.
Her presentation, “Integrating ADHD treatment into stimulant use services in Ukraine: a multi-site operational model of care,” will share Ukraine’s experience of integrating assessment and treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder into services for people who use stimulants. The model brings mental health support and harm reduction together around people’s needs.
Sharing research from Ukraine and international programmes
APH and its partners will also contribute to the conference poster programme, presenting research on access to treatment and community-based care.
On 8 October, Anna Meteliuk will present two APH posters covering:
- The introduction of long-acting depot buprenorphine for people who inject drugs in Egypt.
- Patients’ values and preferences in introducing community-based hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan.
Also on 8 October, Begimai Myktarbekova of Association Partnership Network, Kyrgyzstan, will present “Introducing the model of community-based hepatitis C treatment among people who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan.”
On 9 October, Nadiia Semchuk of Alliance for Public Health will present research on gaps in hepatitis C knowledge in relation to awareness of HCV status and testing behaviour among people who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria and Egypt.
Also on 9 October, Aibar Sultangaziev of Association Partnership Network will present work on hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment in prisons and continuity of community-based care after release in Kyrgyzstan.
Aizada Usenakunova of the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan will also present on 9 October, sharing “Introduction of long-acting depot buprenorphine for people who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan.”
Bringing community perspectives into treatment decisions
Vielta Parkhomenko from Ukraine, a member of the HepC3P Global Community Advisory Board, will contribute to two discussions on long-acting depot buprenorphine on 8 October. These discussions will address expanding access and supporting informed treatment choices, including the meaningful participation of people who use drugs.
Across these contributions, APH and its partners will share practical experience that can help inform services in other countries, while drawing international attention to the needs of communities in Ukraine and across EECA.
We invite conference participants to meet the APH team and our partners, join the sessions and discuss opportunities for further collaboration.
All times are local to Prague.